Category: Asia and Pacific

Turkey selects Japan to build nuclear plant

Japan has learned from the Fukushima disaster and will offer technology with the highest safety standards while building Turkey’s second nuclear plant, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said today.

Turkey chose a Japanese-French partnership for the construction of a nuclear reactor on its Black Sea coast and a nuclear cooperation agreement was signed during Abe’s visit to Ankara.

Despite being prone to earthquakes, energy-dependent Turkey declared in the wake of the Fukushima incident that it would stand firmly by plans to build three nuclear power plants.

A powerful earthquake and tsunami off Japan’s northeastern coast knocked out vital cooling systems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in 2011, causing multiple meltdowns and setting off the worst nuclear catastrophe since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

Turkey’s Energy Ministry said the country decided to begin technical negotiations with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and France’s Areva, after companies from South Korea, China and Canada withdrew or were eliminated from the bid.

The 5000-megawatt capacity plant is expected to cost US$22 billion and be operational in 2023.

Russia will construct Turkey’s first plant in Akkuyu, on the Mediterranean coast. It is scheduled to begin test production in 2019.

In constructing the second plant, “we are going to use first-class technology,” Abe said. “We have carried our experience in nuclear safety to the highest level through lessons learned from past accidents and risks.”

“We will share our experience with Turkey,” he added. “We have raised standards, lifting us to the highest ranks in terms of nuclear safety.”

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said under the cooperation deal with Japan, Japanese experts also would work with Turkish engineers in selecting the site of a third nuclear plant.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was a rapidly developing nation that was forced to diversify energy resources. He has repeatedly downplayed nuclear risks.

“There may be a one in a million risk but that does not mean we can’t take a step,” Erdogan said. “We still take planes even if they crash, we still ride cars even if there are road accidents.”

– AP

via Turkey Nuclear Plant | Turkey tab Japan to build… | Stuff.co.nz.

May 4, 2013
Turkey accepts Tokyo’s apology on Istanbul’s Olympic bid

ANKARA, May 1 (Xinhua) — Turkey’s sports minister has accepted the apology from the governor of Tokyo for criticizing Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kilic said on Wednesday “we now wish for a friendly competition between the candidate cities abiding by the criteria established by the International Olympic Committee.”

Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose apologized Tuesday after he said “Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other” in an interview by the New York Times.

His controversial remarks soon prompted criticism in Turkey and the International Olympic Committee.

Tokyo is competing with Istanbul and Madrid to hold the Olympics for a second time after becoming the first Asian city to host the Games in 1964. Istanbul is bidding for a fifth time after its previous campaigns were unsuccessful.

The hosts for the 2020 Games will be decided at the next IOC Session in Argentina in September.

Editor: yan

via Turkey accepts Tokyo’s apology on Istanbul’s Olympic bid – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

May 2, 2013
Turkey becomes partner of China, Russia-led security bloc

Turkey’s PM Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during the Global Alcohol Policy Symposium in Istanbul (MURAD SEZER, REUTERS / April 26, 2013)

ALMATY (Reuters) – NATO member Turkey signed up on Friday to became a “dialogue partner” of a security bloc dominated by China and Russia, and declared that its destiny is in Asia.

“This is really a historic day for us,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in Kazakhstan’s commercial capital Almaty after signing a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Dmitry Mezentsev.

“Now, with this choice, Turkey is declaring that our destiny is the same as the destiny of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries.”

China, Russia and four Central Asian nations – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – formed the SCO in 2001 as a regional security bloc to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighboring Afghanistan.

April 27, 2013
Flash News!!!! Boston Bomber Master Mind is Armenian
The hunt for Misha: Bomb investigators search for mysterious ‘bald, red-bearded Armenian man’ accused of radicalizing Tamerlan
- Tamerlan Tsarnaev is thought to have fallen under the influence of a new friend, a Muslim convert known only as Misha
- He is said to have steered the 26-year-old elder Boston bomber to a radical strain of Islam
- ‘Somehow, he just took his brain,’ said Tamerlan’s uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, who recalled conversations with Tamerlan’s worried father about Misha’s influence
- Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, mother of the bomber’s said it was ‘nonsense’ that Misha converted her son to terrorism
According to Daily Mail, as the investigation into why and how the Boston bombers unleashed their deadly attacks continues, the focus has centered to an elusive and mysterious Muslim convert known only as Misha.
Family members of Tamerlan Tsarnaev describe Misha as the guiding influence in the elder bomber developing radicalized views – but to date it is believed that law enforcement and the media have failed to find him.
Speculation as to who Misha is wildly varies, with some suggesting he is the mastermind behind the marathon bombings while others think that he could be a Russian spy – sent to identify and keep tabs on young men like Tamerlan who are at risk of turning to militant.
April 27, 2013
Istanbul process’ countries ready to help Afghanistan

Kazakhstan, Astana, 26 April / Trend, D. Mukhtarov /

The 3rd Ministerial Conference of the ‘Istanbul Process held in Almaty on Friday ended with a declaration in which the parties confirmed their willingness to give full support to Afghanistan in order to involve it in the economic and political life of the region, the Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan reported.

“The participants of the Conference noted the importance of these measures in the context of the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Forces from Afghanistan. Specific action plans on six confidence measures packages of Istanbul Process were approved,” the report says.

The forum was attended by more than 50 delegations, headed by the foreign ministers of participating countries, supporting countries and heads of international organizations. The parties fully supported plans for regional cooperation in Afghanistan, confirmed their willingness to purposefully expand and deepen regional cooperation based on the principles of friendship, respect and mutual benefit.

Several associated events in the context of regional cooperation in Afghanistan took place within the scope of the conference: A Presentation of the Capacities of Almaty as a Regional Hub of Multilateral Diplomacy Held by the Akim of the City Ahmetzhan Yesimov; a workshop of experts of the involved authorities of the participants of the Istanbul process with the presentation of capabilities of Kazakhstan as a transit corridor; an exhibition of goods and products of Kazakhstan for export to Afghanistan.

According to the Declaration adopted on the results of the forum, the next Conference of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Istanbul Process on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held in the People’s Republic of China in 2014.

April 27, 2013
Kazakh President discusses bilateral cooperation with Istanbul Process Conference participants

Azerbaijan, Baku, Apr. 26 / Trend E. Kosolapova/

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed bilateral cooperation issues with the participants of the Ministerial Conference of Istanbul Process on Afghanistan held in Almaty on Friday, the Press Service of the President of Kazakhstan reported.

In particular, Nazarbayev met with US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and discussed the key aspects of enhancing and deepening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the Unite States.

“The parties paid attention to the prospects of economic and investment cooperation between the two countries,” the Press Service reported.

Kazakh President also held a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“During the negotiations the parties touched on the main spheres of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Turkey and noted the role of Turkey as one of the most important economic partners of Kazakhstan,” the report says.

Moreover, Nazarbayev and Davutoglu discussed topical issues of the international agenda.

During the conference Nursultan Nazarbayev also met with the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Zalmai Rassoul. The parties discussed the role of Istanbul Process in the sustainable economic development of Afghanistan and the key spheres of Kazakhstan’s participation in the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan. Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the cooperation with Afghanistan in bilateral and multilateral formats, Kazakh President said.

Moreover, Nursultan Nazarbayev met with Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid. The parties exchanged views on topical issues of the international agenda, discussed the bilateral cooperation. Kazakhstan is interested in enhancing cooperation with India in various areas, including investments and innovations, as well as oil and gas industry.

April 27, 2013