Erdogan: BTC and TANAP are reliable corridors

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described the United States as his country's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier and emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear energy, Report informs.

Erdogan made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of US business circles in New York.

He said joint efforts led to the finalization of key agreements in energy, aviation, and other strategically important areas.

"Today, America is our main LNG supplier. Thus, we are among the leading countries in Europe that prefer American gas. We are seeking to expand this cooperation to all areas of energy, including nuclear energy," the Turkish leader said.

According to him, it would be incorrect to assess economic relations between Türkiye and the US solely based on trade figures. He noted the need to establish a new model of economic cooperation between the two countries: "I think we need a new model. After the conflicts in our region come to an end, work in five key areas will accelerate."

Erdogan said the first area is the restructuring of supply chains. He noted that companies are already looking for not only the cheapest but also more reliable options: "Türkiye is a natural destination for these searches with its developed industrial infrastructure and extensive free trade network integrated through the Customs Union with the European Union."

Erdogan said the second key area is the restructuring of energy routes. Referring to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the TANAP project, he said Türkiye is a reliable corridor for the uninterrupted transportation of energy resources.

As the third area, Erdogan identified changes in trade corridors, noting that the Middle Corridor connecting Asia with Europe, as well as the route linking the Gulf countries with Europe, intersect in Türkiye. According to the Turkish leader, large-scale work will also be carried out in the region to rebuild roads, ports, power plants, residential buildings, and factories:

"Türkiye's contracting sector, with its experience in operating under challenging geographical conditions, is the best-prepared participant in this process."

He also emphasized that Türkiye's defense industry has reached a level of potential that can ensure the supply security of allied countries. According to Erdogan, there are broad opportunities for effective cooperation between American businesses and Türkiye in all the areas listed: "Our overseas missions, particularly our investment and finance offices in Washington and New York, are always ready to support you."