Turkey may serve as a transit point for Russian natural gas exports to some countries in Europe and the Middle East, gas giant Gazprom said on Saturday.

Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Mehmet Hilmi Guler discussed gas transit projects through Turkish territory to third countries, in particular Greece, Italy, Israel and other Middle East countries, Gazprom said in a press release.

At a meeting in Ankara on Friday, the two sides agreed to study the possible creation of a joint venture for these projects, it said.

Miller also said Gazprom is interested in investing in underground gas storage facilities and distribution networks in Turkey.

Turkey imports the bulk of the gas it comsumes from Russia. A major gas pipeline running under the Black Sea from southern Russia to the Turkish port of Samsun was inaugurated in November 2005. The pipeline has a capacity of pumping 16 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Turkey.

Turkey and Russia are planning to extend the pipeline from Samsun to the southern Mediterranean port of Ceyhan and further on to Israel and Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua