Yıldız was speaking at a press conference in İstanbul, where he met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin.
“Our talks still continue with Russia for a reduction in the price of natural gas,” Yıldız said, recalling that Turkey received some 52 percent of its natural gas from Russia in 2009 and that this is the backbone of mutual trade between the two neighbors.
Asked about a possible reduction in natural gas prices, Sechin said cooperation is improving between Turkey and Russia regarding natural gas, adding that a discount in natural gas prices was among the issues the two parties continually discuss.
Meanwhile, the two ministers hinted that a tender for the establishment of a nuclear power plant in Turkey, a prolonged issue between the two parties, would be finalized in June. “We will focus on the nuclear plant issue during our talks with the deputy prime minister. Russia has expressed its willingness to cooperate to this end, and we expect a decision will be made in June,” Yıldız noted.
Sechin said Turkish and Russian parties could reach a “satisfactory conclusion” about the construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey. Sechin stated that Russian experts are expected to finalize feasibility studies in April in close cooperation with Turkey.
A consortium of Russian Inter RAO, Atomstroiexport and Turkish Park Teknik submitted the only bid in last year’s tender for the construction Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. Ankara had repeatedly stated that it expects further Russian cooperation to help Turkey build its first nuclear power plant. Government sources have said Ankara may hand the nuclear project to Russian companies without a tender if the two sides can come to an agreement on technical issues such as pricing and technology.
