Amid safety concerns, Turkey, Japan suspend nuclear plant talks

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said yesterday that negotiations between Turkey and Japan over the construction of a nuclear power plant in Sinop have been suspended. Speaking to reporters in Kayseri, Yildiz said the talks had suffered amid concerns over the safety of Japanese nuclear plants in the wake of a magnitude 9 earthquake that struck Japan's northeastern coast last month. Yildiz said Japanese officials have requested some time from their Turkish counterparts in nuclear talks, as Japan is currently dealing with the consequences of its damaged nuclear plant. "We told our Japanese counterparts that we can definitely give them the time they requested as a matter of international courtesy," Yildiz said.