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Putin, Greek PM discuss energy project
June 5, 2015, 1:50 pm

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Moscow, Russia on 8 April 2015 [PPIO]

Russian President Vladimir Putin with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Moscow, Russia on 8 April 2015 [PPIO]

After Greece delayed a key debt payment to the IMF due on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras where the two sides discussed the building of infrastructure for gas transport.

“The two leaders discussed practical steps to implement the agreements reached during Mr Tsipras’ recent working visit to Russia, in particular, the planned construction of gas transport infrastructure through Turkish and Greek territory,” said a Kremlin statement on Friday.

The Greek leader will meet Putin at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will take place on June 18–20.

Greece plans to sign a document on political support for Gazprom’s Turkish Stream project at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, Greek Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis announced earlier this week. The country plans to invest $2 billion in its construction.

By joining the project, Athens could become one of the main power distribution centers in Europe and could earn hundreds of millions of euros annually from gas transit fees, Putin said during Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ official visit to Moscow in April.

The phone conversation on Friday between Putin and the Greek Prime Minister came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said talks on a cash-for-reforms deal with Greece were still far from reaching an agreement.

Greece cannot accept the latest proposals for a cash-for-reforms deal put on the table by its international lenders, Greek Economy Minister George Stathakis said on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in April in Moscow during which the two sides discussed economic ties, energy security and world affairs and inked bilateral agreements on agriculture.

 

TBP and Agencies