Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted that solely in terms of energy matters, it will be clear that Turkey should be part of the EU.

Speaking at the signing ceremony that took place in Rixos Hotel, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated that they were bearing witnesses to a historical moment.

Saying that the last participant of the project is a German firm, Erdoğan continued his speech:  "In this ceremony that symbolizes a historical moment, a very big step is taken. The agreement that will be signed today will put NABUCCO Project in action and create the necessary legal infrastructure.  We are taking a remarkable step for our country, for friendship and peace, and for the welfare of posterity.

When the project is completed and natural gas flow starts, the whole region will gain a different status in every respect.  I express my pride and happiness in witnessing that historical moment and hosting the ceremony. I wish the project all the best for our countries and nations. "

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted that solely in terms of energy matters, it will be clear that Turkey should be part of the EU.

Speaking at the signing ceremony that took place in Rixos Hotel, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated that they were bearing witnesses to a historical moment.

Saying that the last participant of the project is a German firm, Erdoğan continued his speech:  "In this ceremony that symbolizes a historical moment, a very big step is taken. The agreement that will be signed today will put NABUCCO Project in action and create the necessary legal infrastructure.  We are taking a remarkable step for our country, for friendship and peace, and for the welfare of posterity.

When the project is completed and natural gas flow starts, the whole region will gain a different status in every respect.  I express my pride and happiness in witnessing that historical moment and hosting the ceremony. I wish the project all the best for our countries and nations. "

One Third of Natural Reserves 

Expressing that Turkey is located in a region which accounts for one third of world's proved natural gas reserves, Middle East and Caspian Basin being in the first place, Erdoğan stated: "Our country stands in a position of being a bridge, a transition point between the source countries and consumer markets. Lately, we have completed projects that promoted natural gas transport from Middle East and Caspian energy sources to world market.

Kirkuk-Yumurtalık and Baku-Tiflis- Ceyhan pipelines have been put into operation.  Iran-Turkey Pipeline that carries Russian natural gas, Blue Stream Pipeline, Baku-Tiflis-Erzurum Pipeline and Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Interconnection Projects proved Turkey's importance not only in regional but also in global scale. The Samsun-Ceyhan Petroleum Pipeline Project studies continue.

Transportation of Turkmen natural gas to Turkey and flow of Iraqi natural gas through a pipeline parallel to Kirkuk-Yumurtalık are two projects that are under study. Those ongoing and completed projects increase Turkey's importance in terms of energy security.  It is one of our major goals to become fourth main arterial road of Europe.

I believe that after Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Interconnection Project, which was the first concrete step, putting NABUCCO Project into practice will help us to realize those aims. The project will interconnect Turkey and Europe's natural gas infrastructures and enable cooperation in a potential crisis.  The project will also usher in a new era in Turkish-European Union relations in the years to come.

As of now, Turkey is one of the leading partners of the European Union's energy policy. I want to emphasize that Turkey has taken remarkable steps in recent years to harmonize its energy market with that of the European Union. Seen solely in terms of energy matters, it will be clear that Turkey should be part of the European Union."

A slide show was presented at the beginning of Erdoğan's speech.  

Intergovernmental Agreement for Nabucco Project is signed by Prime Ministers of partner countries, namely Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Austria and by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.