Cavusoglu says EU-backed TANAP a priority for Turkey

Cavusoglu said that Turkey is to review the proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to construct an alternative route through Turkey to bring gas to Greece and other European countries, following the announced cancellation of South Stream.

The foreign minister said that so far there was only a memorandum of understanding with Russia, which did not mean that TANAP has been put on the back burner.

Cavusoglu met with his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Georgia in Kars on Wednesday, where the three foreign ministers discussed energy and transport

projects, including the latest Russian proposal.

Turkey is still cautious towards Putin's proposal as it might increase the country's dependency on Russian gas.

TANAP is expected to transport natural gas from the Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan through Georgia and Turkey, to the Greek border, where it will link up with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.