OSTROVETS, 26 May (BelTA) – Turkey does not rule out the possibility of Belarusian specialists taking part in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to Belarus Kezban Nilvana Darama made the statement as foreign diplomats visited the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant on 26 May, BelTA has learned.
The construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey is supposed to begin next year. Asked whether Belarusian specialists will be able to take part in the construction of the nuclear power plant, the ambassador said: “I am not ready to answer this question, but if there is an interest in it, it can happen.”
The ambassador noted she was extremely impressed with what she had seen at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. “I am impressed in a good way. I would like to emphasize that I am impressed and thankful to Belarusian authorities for the transparent way they welcomed us. In essence we have access to all the parts of the construction site,” she stated. The ambassador pointed out it is extremely important to continue working in this direction. “It is necessary to work with the population and the global community because such openness contributes to the positive perception of the facility under construction,” she explained.
The ambassador remarked that nuclear energy industry represents an important part of today's world. It is an important economic aspect of security and efforts to reliably provide any country with energy resources. The construction of teh nuclear power plant will begin in Turkey next year using the standard Russian nuclear power plant design, which is used in Belarus.
“I keep an eye on all the reports about the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. I believe that the general public has the right to speak up, ask questions, and express fears but there are international organizations, which work to raise the awareness of the population. The International Atomic Energy Agency does a lot in this regard. We hope that their work in Turkey will be done properly and just as successfully as it is being done in Belarus,” stated the ambassador.
About 25 diplomats, who are accredited in Belarus, came to visit the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant on 26 May. The number included heads of diplomatic missions and charges d'affaires. In particular, ambassadors of Russia, the UAE, Palestine, the UK, Turkey, Germany, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, and Turkmenistan were made familiar with the Belarusian nuclear power plant construction progress. Diplomats from Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, Japan, Hungary, the USA, and Netherlands also came to Ostrovets.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a new-generation nuclear power plant with two VVER-1200 type reactors (1,200MW each) 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2019, with the second one to go online in 2020.
