Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during March 16-31 st 2013
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• A cease fire is declared by PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to coincide with the Kurdish New Year. PKK fighters cross into Iraq, though the next steps in the process remain unclear.
• Leftist militants attack the Ministry of Justice and AKP headquarters in Ankara while Erdogan visits Denmark. Prime Minister pins the blame on the “Deep State”.
• Israel officially apologizes for the Mavi Marmara incident and promises to compensate the victims’ families. Full diplomatic relations are restored between the once close allies and Erdogan offers a conciliatory note on his huge diplomatic success.
• Iraq and Turkey continue to work on planning a Basra-Ceyhan oil pipeline despite rift over Iraqi-Kurdistan. In apologizing to Turkey, Israel’s future for cooperating with Turkey on a gas pipeline project looks bright

• April 9, 2013

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Lietuvos Dujos confirms its decision to spin off its gas transport business by the 31st of July 2013, with Gazprom and E.On expected to sell their stakes in the Lithuanian gas utility by October 2014; Gazprom agrees a deal with the Czech-based MND Group to construct a new underground gas storage facility in the Czech Republic by 2016; Gazprom signs a long-term gas supply contract with Serbia; Gazprom denies reports that it has offered to fund the restructuring of Cypriot banks in exchange for gas exploration rights in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone
• Gazprom is unlikely to offer significant gas price cuts to Ukraine, as the company dismisses Ukrainian plans to import more gas from other European sources; The European Commission supports the idea of a trilateral consortium including Naftogaz, Gazprom, and European energy companies to manage Ukraine’s gas transport system
• Nord Stream has operated at just 27 percent of its capacity since the launch of the second string in October 2012
• Gazprom is reportedly considering constructing a spur of South Stream to Greece, but stands by its decision to remove the Greece-Italy connection from the project. The fate of South Stream’s spur to Greece may well be decided by the outcome of the privatisation of Greece’s national gas utility, DEPA, in which Gazprom is considering bidding for a stake
• Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) sign a Memorandum of Understanding on gas supplies via the Eastern route, and hope to sign a gas supply contract by the end of 2013
• Russia’s Energy Ministry supports proposals for the export of LNG by Novatek and Rosneft to the Asia-Pacific region, but insists that Gazprom retains its monopoly on gas exports to Europe; Gazprom to complete its purchase of Kyrgyzstan’s national gas system by the end of March.

• April 9, 2013

Turkmen trade turnover increased by 1.9 times as a result of the successful policy pursued by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, Turkmen Minister of Economy and Development Babamyrat Taganov said at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Baku on Monday.

• April 8, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Iran that time is running out for negotiations on its suspected nuclear weapons program.

• April 8, 2013

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has approved the agreement on the creation of the Council of Heads of Financial Intelligence Units of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

• April 8, 2013

Despite two days of intensive negotiations, Iran and six world powers "remain far apart" on Tehran's controversial nuclear program, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Saturday in Kazakhstan.

• April 6, 2013

The recent show of force by the United States marks one of the lowest points in modern diplomacy, but beyond the geopolitical theatrics it turns out that very little is actually known about the North Korean threat.

• April 6, 2013

Kazakhstan's press service says that President Nursultan Nazarbayev has discussed the development of bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector during an official visit to China.

• April 6, 2013