TALKING POINTS FOR PUTIN'S VISIT TO TURKEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006767 SIPDIS USDOC FOR NEUMAN/ADVOCACY CENTER AND FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/CPD/DDEFALCO E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2014 TAGS: PREL ENRG EPET TU SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS FOR PUTIN'S VISIT TO TURKEY DECEMBER 5-6 DELIVERED; ENERGY FEEDBACK REF: A. SECSTATE 256695 ¶B. ANKARA 6484 Classified By: DCM ROBERT DEUTSCH, REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (C) Econoff delivered ref A points to GOT MFA Deputy Director General for Energy Hakki Akil on December 3, noting that similar points had been delivered at multiple levels over recent months. Ambassador Edelman delivered the full set of ref A points to Deputy U/S Apakan on December 2. ¶2. (C) Corroborating multiple press reports, Akil said that Gazprom and the Turkish Pipeline Company BOTAS had negotiated and would likely sign a MOU stating the desire of Gazprom to use revenues from its natural gas sales to Turkey to seek investments in the following: -Natural gas distribution systems, -Natural gas storage, and -Natural gas transit of Blue Stream gas on to third countries, including interest in a LNG facility at Ceyhan. Akil noted that this MOU was for public consumption, because actual investment would require negotiation of separate, detailed agreements. ¶3. (C) Turning to the other major energy topic of proposed Bosphorus oil bypass projects, Akil said that Turkish Officials were still trying to convince Russia to support the Samsun-Ceyhan route over the trans-Thrace route supported by Transneft. EconOff took the opportunity to reiterate USG support for transparency in the earlier application of Thrace Development Company. In response, Akil emphasized that discussions were focused on route, not specific projects -- companies and the market would pick specific projects. Akil repeated his views on the negative environmental aspects of both the trans-Thrace and Burgos-Alexandropolos routes to the Aegean Sea. Moreover, Akil said the GOT would use all its rights under international laws to oppose the Burgos-Alexandropolous route, because of the Aegean Sea environmental reasons. Akil said that he had briefed Prime Minister Erdogan December 2 on the MFA's proposed "Voluntary Principles on the Passage of Oil Tankers through the Turkish Straits" (Ref B). He said the PM was very supportive and would raise the topic with President Putin. Apart informal discussions, Akil admitted that he had not yet been able to schedule a formal presentation of the "Voluntary Principles" to the Russians. EDELMAN