– Edited By Tom Lamar –
According to news reports, Turkey is working on a agreement with Japan for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the northern city of Sinop which will be the nation's second nuclear plant, the visiting chief adviser to the Turkish prime minister said today.
In December, Turkey and Japan signed an MOU to cooperate on the development of new nuclear plants.
Ibrahim Kalin, the adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, said in an interview that his country may also explore the possibility of working with Japanese companies on the construction of its third or fourth nuclear power plants.
Talks are also under way with other countries including South Korea, Canada and France.
Turkey signed an agreement with Russia for its first nuclear power plant to be built in the city of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast.
Kalin said the Turkish economy has expanded at an average of 6 to 7 percent on a nominal basis in the past five to six years and the country is planning to build a total of four nuclear power plants in the next two to three years to secure energy supply.
He also said Turkey is aiming to conclude a civil nuclear treaty for the peaceful use and transfer of nuclear power technologies, which Tokyo needs to conclude with Ankara to realize nuclear deals.
Kalin said negotiations have already commenced and emphasized that there is ''nothing to prevent Japan and Turkey from signing it.''
Turkey has signed the additional protocol to the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards agreement that allows for stringent inspections of nuclear facilities and operations, a factor that Japan takes into consideration when proceeding with nuclear cooperation with other countries.