Gazprom cancels gas discount for Turkey:Industry

ANKARA: Russia's Gazprom has cancelled a 10.25 per cent discount in gas prices for Turkish customers, industry officials said on Friday, in the latest salvo in a diplomatic and trade row after Turkey shot down a Russian war plane two months ago.

Turkey announced the discount deal in February 2015 but a final agreement had been complicated by politics.

Turkish industry officials told Reuters on the Friday that Gazprom had cancelled the discount for its Turkish customers.

Russia is Turkey's largest gas supplier with sales of 28-30 billion cubic metres annually worth around $6.5 billion.

Turkey imports 60 per cent of its gas and 35 percent of its oil from Russia.

Their bilateral ties have deteriorated since Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border in November, prompting Moscow to impose economic sanctions.

The two countries have long been at odds over Syria and the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Moscow ally who Turkey says needs to be removed.