PRESS CONFERENCE

Joint Press Conference with US Energy Secretary Sam Bodman and Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Hilmi Guler

Swissotel, Istanbul, Turkey
November 16, 2007

Minister Guler: [unofficial translation] Valued friends, today, with American Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, we had a very productive meeting, as well as a lunch organized by Ferit Sahenk and TAIK, and we’ve had some discussions.  On the subject of energy with Secretary Bodman, and with the American government, we discussed the joint projects we could undertake.  In addition, he will be attending the opening of the Turkey – Greece natural gas pipeline.  As a result of this, we have had productive, future-oriented, very positive discussions on projects.  And now we’re sharing this with you.  Again, I welcome Secretary Bodman and his delegation.

Secretary Bodman: I am Sam Bodman, the US Secretary of Energy.  Minister Guler and I just concluded a very productive meeting, Turkey has been and remains a very important ally of my country.  Turkey is a major oil and gas transit country today, and as new pipelines emerge from east to west, Turkey can play an even more important role.  The minister and I discussed the importance of energy security to every nation’s economic and national security.  We estimate that energy demand will increase by 50 per cent over the next 25 years.  The result of that is that we recognize the need to pursue a more global, strategic response.  We need new supplies, new suppliers and new supply routes.  We also discussed an expanded role for nuclear energy in our two countries.  We recognize Turkey’s desire for a new nuclear energy approach.  And I welcome Turkey’s new legal framework. With respect to nuclear energy, Secretary Condoleezza Rice of the State Department, and I, recommended to the President, our President that he send the agreement for cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy with Turkey to the United States Congress. We are hopeful that Congress will approve, and we have every reason to believe that the President will follow through with our request, but we have no specific knowledge of just what he will do.  That agreement, which is called, in our parlance, a 1-2-3 agreement, which relates to the section of the 1952 Atomic Energy Act, if we are successful with our Congress, that will allow us to share nuclear technology with Turkey.   I also encouraged Minister Guler to consider Turkey’s potential membership in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.  The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, or GNEP as we call it, is an international framework for sharing of clean, safe, reliable, civilian nuclear power; and in doing so, in a way that deals responsibly with waste in a proliferation-resistant power.  We discussed the need to increase energy efficiency, the next best source of energy, is the source that we currently waste at this time.  We talked about the role that technology can play in increasing energy security while addressing environmental concerns.  And I’m very pleased that our two ministries will co-sponsor with the private sector a clean energy conference here in Istanbul, early next year.  We’d be happy to take questions. 

Question:  I have two questions, actually, and one is, you discussed energy security, Nabucco is part of plans to diversify energy supplies.  Have there been any developments, Minister Guler, on who the 6th partner for Nabucco may be?  And my second question has to do with the US’s concerns over Turkey’s plans to partner with Iran on supplying gas to Europe.

Minister Guler:  (unofficial translation) With regard to the Nabucco project, with Secretary Bodman…all of the pipeline projects that are passing through Turkey America is already supporting very actively and contributing to very significantly, because America opposes monopolies, and at the same time, they want a very open and transparent competitive environment, and we share the same values.  For that reason, as Turkey, we are in an easing position.  And we want these investments both to pick up in pace and to be realized as soon as possible.  Regarding your second question, we have not discussed that.

Secretary Bodman:  Could I just make a comment?  And that is, we do have concerns, we believe that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.  That does not detract from our friendship, or from our reliance upon Turkey as an important ally.  But we continue to work in a diplomatic manner to reduce commercial support for the development of what we consider to be nuclear weapons technologies.  The Minister is quite right in terms of our commitment to a fair and an open and a transparent process, which we generally favor.  But the case of Iran, we consider that there are extenuating circumstances. 

Question:  (unofficial translation) On the matter of Nuclear Energy between the US and Turkey, in what areas will there be a partnership -- is there a concrete result of this?  Also, in Secretary Bodman’s speech he referred to the organization of which there are 17 members and Turkey participates in an observer capacity.  Is this the example?

Minister Guler:  Both.  Both membership and in addition to that, on the matter of nuclear technology and energy produced for civilian purposes and used for civilian purposes, we will be able to work together.

Secretary Bodman:  He said it.

Question: (unofficial translation) The American Secretary referred to a Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.  Does he desire Turkey to join this?  What is his perspective about this?

Minister Guler:  (unofficial translation) Right now we are observers there, considering membership.  Most recently Italy has become a member, and Turkey’s membership is desired. 

Question: (unofficial translation) So will Turkey become a member?

Minister Guler:  (unofficial translation) We are considering it.

Question:  (unofficial translation) So it’s still in the consideration phase. 

Minister Guler: (unofficial translation) Consider that as a positive response.  As, at this moment, I am not able to decide alone, of course we view it positively. 

Question:  (unofficial translation) What is your decision going to be based on?

Minister Guler:  (unofficial translation) An internal assessment will take place.  There are steps in the decision-making process. 

Question:  (unofficial translation) Are we a candidate?

Minister Guler:  (unofficial translation) We are already engaged in the process. 

Question:  (unofficial translation) A question for Secretary Bodman.  This weekend in Riyadh there will an OPEC meeting.  What are your expectations?  What is the status of the US oil inventory for 2008?

Secretary Bodman:  First, I am in regular touch with the ministers of all suppliers.  Both OPEC and non-OPEC nations, and I have requested that they increase supplies.  I have no expectations one way or another, what they will do.  That’s up to them. 

Question: (unofficial translation)  US oil inventory for 2008?

Secretary Bodman:  I think it’s going to be important that there be increases in supply made available by the exporting nations, for there to be adequate supplies to be available to the marketplace. 

Question:  (unofficial translation) A question for the Secretary.  The Turkish public sometimes has difficulty understanding the US view towards countries with an existing nuclear weapons capability or those countries that desire to develop nuclear capabilities.  For example we know its policy towards Iran, but with other countries such as India, different agreements can be made.  What is the criteria that the US Government uses to determine this?  And we understand that the issue of Iraq was on the agenda, in terms of transiting Iraqi natural gas to Europe.  Under current conditions, how likely is this to be realized when you consider the current situation in Iraq? 

Secretary Bodman:  Is that the only question? 

[laughter]

Secretary Bodman:  The issue about Iraqi gas, we have had discussions about the supply of Iraqi gas.  That would be a positive thing if it were possible.  We’re doing our level best to work in order to cause it to be possible.

Secretary Bodman:  [corrected]  There is plenty of reason to believe that Iran kept a secret of its ambitions to enrich uranium.  We and the international community believe Iran intends to have nuclear weapons and we are concerned about nuclear weapon proliferation.

Thank you.