Standoff Didn't Stop Turkey, Russia From Working Together on Nuclear Power

Russia and Turkey have maintained the implementation of joint projects in the sphere of nuclear energy, as well as of energy transportation even during downturn in bilateral relations, Turkish Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) —Zeybekci added that representatives of the energy companies continued cooperation and implementation of such projects.

"During the crisis in the relations, neither Russian, nor the Turkish side have scrapped the projects tied to nuclear power industry and to the construction of the ways for transportation of the energy products. There is also no discussion about suspension of such projects," Zeybekci said.

Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated after the Su-24 downing. The jet was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The crew of the plane ejected and one of the pilots was killed by ground fire, while the second pilot survived. Following the incident, Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Ankara, including a food ban, as well as a ban on charter flights in both directions and advised local tour operators to refrain from working with the Turkish side.

On June 27, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a letter addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized over the downing of the Russian aircraft and extended condolences to the family of the pilot killed in the incident.

By doing so Ankara fulfilled one of the conditions put forward by Moscow following the incident that paralyzed the long-term partnership between the two countries. The letter also said legal proceedings were underway against the Turkish citizen allegedly involved in the Russian pilot’s death – another condition named by Russia in order to restore severed ties.

Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to construct and operate Turkey’s first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in the Turkish southern Mersin Province in May 2010. The plant is expected to produce about 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year. The project's cost is estimated at about $20 billion.