Turkey, Japan in exclusive talks over nuclear plant

After failing to reach an agreement with South Korea, Turkey is holding exclusive talks with Japan over building a nuclear power plant, and hopes to conclude a deal within three months, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said yesterday in Tokyo before holding talks with Toshiba, Tokyo Electric Power and Itochu Corp. "Within three months, the main frameworks should be drawn," including financing, insurance, partnerships and power tariffs, he said. He added that his visit to Japan comes after officials from Toshiba and the Japanese government held two rounds of technical meetings in Turkey on the project. "They told us their first impression is quite positive," he said. Yildiz and his Japanese counterpart Akihiro Ohata are due today to sign a memorandum of understanding on nuclear power cooperation. Tomorrow Yildiz is scheduled to visit Tokyo Electric's Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's biggest atomic power station.