Claims that Qatari gas would be transported via Turkey: Response from Qatar

A response has come from Qatar regarding statements by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar that Qatari gas could be transported to Europe via Turkey. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the media reports regarding gas shipments to Europe as "rumors" and stated that the country's priority is providing aid to the Syrian people.

In a statement on January 4, Minister Bayraktar had expressed that if a secure transportation system were established in Syria and regional stability were ensured, it could be possible to transport Qatari gas to Europe via Turkey. However, Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari categorically denied these claims.

"CONSISTS OF MEDIA SPECULATION"

Stating that the reports in the media were entirely speculation, Al-Ansari said, "We have no work underway regarding gas supply to Europe via Syria and Turkey. Doha's current focus is on providing humanitarian and technical assistance to the Syrian people." He further emphasized that Qatar has not made any announcements regarding such energy projects.

Al-Ansari stated that Qatar will continue its humanitarian aid in areas such as Damascus International Airport and remains committed to providing technical support for the reconstruction of infrastructure. However, he noted that there is no concrete plan regarding gas supply.

QATAR-TURKEY PROJECT HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA FOR YEARS

The idea of transporting Qatari gas to Europe via Turkey has been discussed since 2009. However, this project was not accepted by the Syrian administration at the time. As the country with the third-largest natural gas reserves in the world, Qatar, as of November 2024, stands as the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas after the US and Australia.