Ozturk, A. Coverage of Negotiations between Russia and Turkey Regarding the South Stream Gas Line in Turkish Print Media

Abstract: The subject under research is the coverage of negotiations between Russia and Turkey regarding construction of the gas line ‘South Stream’ in Turkish print media. The author of the article analyzes different opinions of experts on construction of this gas line. The author also provides opinions expressed by the representatives of different political parties on the matter. It is demonstrated that there are those who approve and disapprove of the South Stream among experts of both Turkish print media and political parties. The author focuses on the antagonism of the two gas line projects, the South Stream and Nabucco. In his research the author uses the methods of analysis and comparison. He analyzes how the opinions expressed regarding construction of the gas line depended on the nature of a particular publishing house as well as the period of negotiations being analyzed. The author also uses the principle of historicism to analyze prerequisites for the current historical conditions and study the course of negotiations taking into account the current historical situation and general nature of the Russian-Turkish relations. The novelty of the article is in the following: despite the growing infl uence of mass media, their social role is still understudied by the Russian humanities. The author of the present article demonstrates the development of the opinion of Turkish mass media on construction of the South Stream gas line and describes what opinion different political parties and individual analysts expressed on the matter. The author emphasizes that the two projects of constructing gas lines to bring gas to Europe, the South Stream and Nabucco, meet interests of different groups and therefore compete with each other. This has put Turkey in the center of political attention because the European security of energy supply is now dependent on the decision of Turkey to construct the South Stream. Those who speak against Turkey joining this project say it is necessary for Europe to stop being depended on the Russian gas by participating in the Nabucco project aimed at delivering gas from the Central Asia to Europe by-passing Russia. On the contrary, those who approve of the South stream, believe it to be an advantageous project for Turkey taking into account the growing volumes of consumed gas and favorable terms offered by Russia to Turkey when signing the agreement on construction of the gas line.

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