Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated following the downing ofa Russian Su-24 aircraft overSyria bya Turkish jet onNovember 24. In the wake ofthe incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on economic measures againstAnkara.
"The Akkuyu NPP was not mentioned inthe president's decree, or inthe three government decrees… Russia does not drop the Turkish Stream, butthe ball is inTurkey's court now," Karlov told RIA Novosti.
Karlov said that it was very difficult topredict the future ofthe Turkish Stream project inthe current situation, adding that Russia expected Ankara tomake moves tobegin improving the bilateral relations.
The Turkish Stream gas pipeline, withan annual capacity of63 billion cubic meters, was announced inDecember 2014. The pipeline was expected torun belowthe Black Sea fromRussia toTurkey and continue toa hub onthe Turkish-Greek border, fromwhere gas could be transferred toSouthern Europe.
Russia and Turkey signed an agreement toconstruct and operate Turkey’s first nuclear power plant atthe Akkuyu site inthe Turkish southern Mersin province inMay 2010. The NPP is expected toproduce about35 billion kilowatt-hours per year. The project's cost is estimated atabout $20 billion.
(Sputnik News)
