Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources said Wednesday that Ankara favors friendly resolution of the dispute on price of gas imports from Iran.
Speaking at the fringes of a seminar on Turkish economy, Helmi Guler said that Turkey welcomes closer ties with Tehran in all areas.
On solution to the gas price row, he said the discussions between the two sides are continuing. "I am hopeful that the dispute will be settled in a cordial manner," he was quoted as saying by IRIB.
The case for international arbitration of the disputes entails certain procedures, Guler said, adding "Turkey's call for review of s prices are in accordance with the provisions laid out in the contract signed between the two countries."
Turkey said last week that it has referred the case to arbitration about a month ago.
Iran's Minister of Oil Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh has recently said that Tehran will refer the case of disputed gas price with Turkey at the international tribunal if talks fail to bear results. Zanganeh told a group of reporters that Iran is now in contacts with the Turkish side on gas price, demanding Ankara to provide some proofs, if any, on the issue.
In 2003, Ankara halted gas imports from Iran on the ground that the quality of the imported gas was not in line with the contract requirements. Iran rejected Turkish claims that the imported gas was poor in quality, with Zanganeh claiming the snag had been invoked by Russia's offer of cheaper gas. (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
