TURKEY-IRAN: GAS PIPELINE TALKS SUSPENDED

Ankara, 18 August (AKI) - Turkey and Iran on Friday broke off talks on the construction of a gas pipeline linking Iranian gas fields to Europe. No reason was given for the supension of the negotiations which were taking place in Ankara. However, some observers believe that Tehran called off the talks over Turkey's decision to work with the United States and Azerbaijan on developing energy sources.

Iran views the oil pipeline connecting Azerbaijan's oil fields with Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, as a Washington-inspired move to isolate Iran.