By NNN-KUNA,
Ankara : Turkey warned against suspension of negotiations over an energy agreement with Iran if Tehran fails to tackle some articles in the deal about natural gas pricing, production and quantities to be exported.
Turkey media on Friday quoted an official source at the Turkish ministry of energy as saying that minister Hilmi Guler briefed Iranian ambassador in Ankara, in a meeting here yesterday, that negotiations were at risk of being suspended if both sides failed to agree on prices and other technical matters related to exports of natural gas and production volume.
Guler and the Iranian ambassador discussed how to tackle disputed matters, said the source who noted that Guler, accompanying foreign minister Ali Babacan, might visit Tehran next week, to convince the Iranian officials to settle these issues.
The Turkish official source accused Iran of refusing to soften stance on gas production and transportation to Turkey, in addition to prices of natural gas.
Ankara and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last year allowing Turkish companies to develop natural gas fields in Iran in projects valued USD four billion.
Both countries were supposed to sign the energy agreement during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Ankara last week but the agreement was not sealed. Turkish press reports suggested that US pressure blocked the signature.
The Turkish government however denied the press reports and said negotiations were not finalized and more discussions were needed to tackle outstanding issues.