Turkish president against giving up nuclear energy

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that Turkey's suddenly giving up nuclear energy was wrong, Anadolu News Agency reported.

Commenting on the debates against building nuclear power plants (in Turkey) following the earthquake in Japan, Gul told reporters on Friday that Turkey was dependent on foreign countries in energy.

"It is obvious that alternative energy resources will meet the need of Turkey. It is wrong to suddenly give up nuclear energy for Turkey," he added.

On March 11, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 hit Japan's north-east coast. The quake's epicentre is thought to have been 20 km below the ocean off Miyagi prefecture. It shook buildings in the capital Tokyo, some 300 km away. The quake unleashed a 4-meter tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland. Officials think death toll will exceed 10,000 in Japan. Meanwhile, radiation spread from the four stricken reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant along Japan's northeastern coast.

On March 16, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said regarding the nuclear power plant --which is planned to be built in Akkuyu town of Turkey's southern province of Mersin-- would be a model to the whole world as an investment.

"We will take all necessary precautions while building the nuclear power plant. However, there could be incidents beyond the control of human beings. We will build the nuclear power plant based on our brain power and experiences. The process for nuclear energy in Turkey continues within our calendar", Erdogan said.


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