Turkey rates gas above Armenian Genocide billApril 11, 2007 - 15:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has not broken off talks with Gaz de France within Nabucco consortium which plans to export Caspian gas to Europe, Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said. Last week Turkish high rank officials said that talks with Gaz de France were stopped over the Armenian Genocide resolution passed by the French Parliament. "Nabucco is a very important program for us and engagement of Gaz de France has not been suspended," Gulen said, RFE/RL reports.The five-company consortium plans to build a 3,300-kilometre conduit that will carry natural gas from the Middle East and Central Asia to the European Union via Turkey and the Balkans, bypassing Russia. The other partners in the venture are gas companies from Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. The consortium had been in contact with GDF for some time as part of its efforts to find a sixth partner in the six-billion-dollar project, which is expected to become operational in 2012. The four other partners approved GDF's participation, but Turkey has opposed it because of a French draft law that makes it a criminal offense to deny the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkey during World War I. The bill was adopted by the French National Assembly in October 2006. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Mirzoyan says meeting with Bayramov was “constructive” At the moment, Ararat Mirzoyan said, there is no basis for additional comments. OSCE vows support for Armenia “in all three directions of security” Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. 151 detained as civil disobedience campaigns continue in Yerevan Citizens have been blocking streets in the Armenian capital, demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation. France welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan meeting in Almaty France has welcomed the new round of negotiations between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. |