‘Greek Stream’ has political support, Russian deputy says

Russia’s latest proposal for a natural gas pipeline in southeast Europe, being refered to as both “Turkish Stream” and “Greek Stream” and envisioned to run from the Greek-Turkish border across northern Greece all the way to the country’s northwest, was extensively discussed last Friday in Athens during an official visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, while it was agreed for Greece’s energy minister Panos Skourletis to soon visit Moscow for further talks, Russian media has reported.

The visit by Dvorkovich preceded a Joint Ministerial Committee between Greece and Russia to be held in Sochi today and tomorrow.

Besides his talks with the Greek Prime Minister, the Russian deputy head also held talks with a series of other leading local officials, including Skourletis, Agricultural Development Minister Evangelos Apostolou, and TAIPED (State Privatization Fund) president Stergios Pitsiorlas, paving the way for negotiations between the two countries.

Dvorkovich told Russian daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta that it was agreed, last Friday in Athens, by both sides to “intensify the work of the Joint Ministerial Committee with the aim of finding practical solutions to exisiting problems in the fields of energy, transport, and agriculture,” while adding that Gazprom and Russian Railways will be involved.

The Russian deputy also said he requested additional information on Greek privatization tenders, adding this front would be further processed at the Joint Ministerial Committee, today and tomorrow.

Commenting on the prospects of developing “Turkish Stream” through Greek territory, Dvorkovich said the matter was discussed with the Greek Prime Minister and has political support.

According to Russian news agency Ria Novosti, Skourletis, Greece’s energy minister, will visit Moscow within the next few days for further talks with his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak.