Turkey decides not to sign southeast European energy treaty

Turkey has decided not to sign a treaty to establish a single regulatory framework for the trading of energy in southeast Europe, a European Union official said.
Earlier, Greek development minister Dimitris Sioufas said trade and energy ministers from the EU and nine Balkan countries, including Turkey, will sign in Athens a treaty that will establish the Energy Community of Southeast Europe. Given Turkey's strategic geographical location for the energy sector, Ankara could use the treaty as a bargaining tool for its negotiations with EU governments on joining the EU.

Greece and Turkey are currently constructing a pipeline between the two countries as part of the Southern Europe Gas Ring Project that will enable Caspian Sea and Central Asian natural gas to be transported to Europe.
Under the terms of the treaty, countries in the region will agree to adopt the EU's single market regulations for the energy sector in order to create a single and stable regulatory framework for the trading ofenergy across borders.

Balkan countries signing the treaty will apply EU rules to their energy markets, including those for protecting the environment and respecting environmental obligations, which all EU members have to respect.
They will also apply the EU's competition rules and liberalize their respective markets by 2008.