Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on Monday met with EU`s Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettingger in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yildiz said he conveyed Turkey`s expectation to open energy chapter in the country`s European Union accession negotiations to lay a solid legal framework to launch what he described as "a comprehensive and strategic cooperation" with the EU in energy issues, informs GHN referring to AzerTAc.
"In order to create a common energy market, we need to remove this obstacle. We believe that both Turkey and the EU member countries are aware of this necessity," Yildiz said.
Oettingger, on his part, said that the opening of the energy chapter would serve in interests of both Turkey and the Union, adding that all EU members needed to show consent to start discussing issues on energy in Turkey`s membership talks. He praised an agreement signed between Turkey and Azerbaijan over natural gas transportation. The EU official highlighted the importance of gas reserves of the Caspian basin for the Nabucco project.
"Turkish, European energy companies meet"
Turkish State Minister and chief EU negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis also hosted a dinner in honor of Oettinger who is in Ankara for talks.
Yildiz, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Mevlut Cavusoglu and head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey Marc Pierini were among the attendants of the dinner.
Representatives of Turkish and European energy companies also took part in the dinner and exchanged views with Guenther Oettinger.
Bagis, who made a brief speech at the opening of the event, said that Turkey was an important player in the energy game in the region. He said, "there are also several players around us but we want to play it with you."
Bagis stated that Turkey, with its public and private sector, was ready and capable to achieve that goal.
"As the chief negotiator, my expectation is to expand our cooperation in many areas, especially in energy," he said.
EU Commissioner Oettinger made a speech, too, and said that Turkey and Europe had common interests in energy. He also invited energy companies to European market and said energy was a competitive and successful area for new projects.
