Russian Nuclear Power Plant Deal With Turkey to Progress After Thaw

Work on the planned Russian Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey will move forward after the start of normalization in Moscow-Ankara relations, Russia's IAEA envoy said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Work on the planned Russian Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey is likely to resume following the rapprochement between the two countries, Russia’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna said Thursday.

"I think the issue of Akkuyu will move forward now," Vladimir Voronkov said.

In December 2015, US media reported that Rosatom had stopped construction work at the power plant and that Turkey was assessing other potential candidates for the project. However, Rosatom and the Turkish Energy and Natural Resource Ministry immediately refuted the claim.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The leaders agreed to restore bilateral relations, inluding in the spheres of trade and tourism.

Moscow suspended a number of strategic bilateral projects, including negotiations on the Turkish Stream project following the downing of a Russian Su-24 aircraft by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet in Syria on November 24.