Forum libero

The Syrian civil war continues with Turkish public opinion largely opposed to an intervention. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has seized on the mood in an attempt to win back political ground from the AKP.

A high-ranking U.S. military official tells Turkish academics that Washington will likely maintain its passive stance on Syria unless authorized by the UN Security Council or NATO.

Turkey views Kurdish fighters in Syria as a threat amidst ongoing PKK-TSK violence. But a high-profile court case and international focus on Kurdish hunger strikers may provide an opportunity for new discourse between the government and the country’s largest minority.

Another oil export dispute between the Kurdish Regional Government and Baghdad threatens to further undermine the Turkey-Iraq relationship.

South Stream continues to motor forward but the European Commission is not yet ready to offer special exemptions to the Moscow-led project. This may lead to further delays in its realization.

Lithuania files a €1.5bn ($2bn) lawsuit against Gazprom, claiming the Russian company has abused its position as monopoly gas exporter to Lithuania since 2004

RWE Transgas wins a landmark case against Gazprom, as it refuses to pay fines for breaking the ‘take-or-pay’clauses in its gas supply contract

Naftogaz reaches an agreement with Germany’s RWE Trading for trial gas supplies via Poland

Gazprom officially launches the second line of Nord Stream, and announces plans for two additional lines

South Stream gets the green light to be realised on the territories of Serbia and Hungary, with similar developments expected in relation to Bulgaria and Slovenia in November

Gazprom confirms the development of the Chayandinskoe gas field and related pipeline infrastructure as part of its plan to increase LNG exports to the Asia-Pacific region

Gazprom signs a contract for LNG supplies to India and announces an increase in its LNG supplies to South Korea

Gazprom officially launches gas production at the Bovanenkovo gas field, as part of its Yamal Megaproject

Rosneft cements its role in Russia’s gas sector, but supports Gazprom’s continued export monopoly