Hazar Raporu - Issue 01 - Fall 2012
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A Step Ahead Towards the Stage of<br />
Maturation in Azerbaijani-Turkish<br />
Relations: The Trans Anatolian Pipeline<br />
Dr. Burcu Gültekin Punsmann<br />
Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, TEPAV<br />
Senior Foreign Policy Analyst<br />
The signature of the memorandum<br />
of understanding between Azerbaijan<br />
and Turkey on 11 December 2<strong>01</strong>1 for<br />
the establishment of the consortium<br />
that will build the Trans Anatolian<br />
Pipeline (TANAP) to supply gas from<br />
Shah Deniz gas field to Europe through<br />
Turkey was a surprise development. The<br />
Azerbaijani-Turkish inter-governmental<br />
agreement on the implementation of the<br />
TANAP pipeline was signed on 26 June<br />
2<strong>01</strong>2. Both countries hailed TANAP<br />
as a step ahead ‘towards a new age of<br />
partnership’.<br />
The Azerbaijani-Turkish pipeline<br />
project will emancipate the bilateral<br />
relations from the realm of emotions,<br />
set clearly the interests of each side, thus<br />
transferring cooperation between the<br />
two states on a healthier ground based<br />
on win-win pragmatic dealings.<br />
The deal carries to potential to upgrade<br />
Turkish-Azerbaijani energy relations to<br />
the level of Turkish-Russian relations.<br />
Russia has been Turkey’s principal<br />
partner in the field of energy over the<br />
last 15 years. Furthermore, Turkey has<br />
been considering Russia - a country<br />
whose political will alone could<br />
change facts on the ground - as the<br />
cornerstone of her ambition to become<br />
an energy transit and a hub country.<br />
Interestingly a deal on the South Stream<br />
between Turkey and Russia came as<br />
an unexpected move a few days after<br />
the one on TANAP and less than two<br />
months after the decision of BOTAŞ<br />
not to review the 1986 gas deal. On 28<br />
December Gazprom and Botaş signed<br />
the amended contracts as the South<br />
Stream permits were displayed to Prime<br />
Minister Putin.<br />
TANAP as a post Nabucco pipeline<br />
and a transnational gas export project<br />
realized on the initiative of Azerbaijan<br />
and in cooperation with Turkey will<br />
be a game changer. Among SOCAR’s<br />
most strategic investments capitalyzing<br />
on Turkey’s future position in world<br />
geography, TANAP will fundamentally<br />
change the situation around bringing<br />
Caspian gas to Europe.<br />
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