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07.04.2006

On Turkey’s nuclear program

   

Artak Shakaryan 

Turkey talks about the development of nuclear energy began in 1953, after the well known speech of Eisenhower “Atoms for peace” in UN General Assembly. However, Turkey’s de facto inclusion into the field of nuclear energy dates back in May, 1955, when Ankara signed a unilateral agreement with Washington on “peaceful use of nuclear energy”. In 1959 began the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear reactor, which was set in Nuclear Research and Training Center in Cekmece for mere research purposes.

From that day on the special term on building nuclear stations has been included in every five-year plan by State planning organization.

In 1970 the consulting group arrived from the USA and Spain to Turkey suggested constructing CANDU rector with 400 MW (CANadian Deuterium Uranium reactor-a Canadian rector, which is “convenient for nuclear weapon proliferation”. As a rule this reactor, which uses heavy water as a reducer, produces more plutonium). It was planned to set the station working in 1977, however, the military coup in March 1971 put off the projects. In 1976 Turkish Atomic Energy Council (TAEC) endowed to begin the constriction of the Atomic power station in the place called Akkuyu. In 1977 negotiations began between two Swedish companies on building a 660 MW boiling water reactor. But this time also the military coup in 1980 put an end to Turkey’s second attempt to build a nuclear electric power station.

In 1983 TAEC announced a competition among international companies which sell reactors. The outcome of the competition was the agreement on nuclear cooperation between Turkey and Canada signed in 1985. However in 1986 it became known that the carrying out of the project was cancelled because of financial disagreements.

After the above mentioned failures Turkey turned to Argentina. In May 1988 the two states signed an agreement on 15 years term cooperation. Turkey hoped to duplicate the independent course of nuclear fuel cycle from Argentina. Turkey was also interested in a 25 MW light water reactor called CAREM-25. In October 1990 an agreement was reached to build two reactors of Carem-25 kind, one for each country. The former director of TAEC Yalchin Sanalan was honest enough to announce that CAREM-25 “…was very little for producing electric power and very big to use it for research works, but it is very convenient for producing plutonium”. Thus Turkey was under the threat of nuclear proliferation. Under the pressure of the US and other states Turkey denounced the project in 1991.

The next attempt of Turkey to resume this project was in October 1992, when Turkish Atomic Energy Council sent the announcement of preliminary suggestions. The competition was announced in December 1996. Three consortiums took part in the competition- AECL, Westnighouse/Mitsubishi և Framatome/Siemens.

Official Ankara announced that the preliminary exclusion of France-German consortium Framatome/Siemens from the competition was under discussion because of the decision of French Parliament on the Armenian Genocide. Germany’s opposition on Turkey’s membership to the EU also weakened the position of this consortium. In answer to the freezing of Turkish-EU relations, official Ankara gave the American consortium of Westinghouse/Mitsubishi a chance to fortify its position.

In 1997-1999 inner political situation in Turkey was quite unsteady. The final decision of the competition was being delayed all the time, and in August 1999 devastating earthquake struck the area of Izmit, causing death of 18000 people and deepening the situation of crisis.

In July 2000 at the governmental sitting a decision was made to put off the project of Akkuyu. It became clear from the government’s announcement that the decision on delay was not conditioned by security issues, but it was also clearly worded that the delay didn’t mean rejection of the project. Turkey’s nuclear program was put off till the better times; however, it was still considered a strategic direction and research works were not ceased.

* * *

In 2005-2006, under international tension connected with Iranian nuclear programs, Turkey again pushed its dossier into the foreground.

In 2005, as a result of USA-Iran strained relations, Washington took serious steps towards planning possible attack on Iran. Again Ankara’s support was needed. In December 2005 the US FBI director Robert Muller opened Washington-Ankara “traffic” by his visit to Ankara. Later on a visit was paid by CIA director Porter Goss, who first had a meeting with the director of Turkish National Intelligence organization Emre Taneri and later on with Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan. After Goss a visit was paid to Turkey by the secretary general of NATO Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

In the middle of December an almost parallel return visit was paid by the commander of Turkey’s land forces Yasar Buyukanit who is to become the chairman of Turkey’s Joint Chiefs of Staff this year. The latter met the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, the commander of land forces Peter Shomaker and the US deputy secretary of defense, US former ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman. In February 2006, secretary-general of Turkey’s National Security Council Yigit Alpogan paid a visit to Washington and had a meeting with the state secretary Rice and the defense deputy minister Edelman.

In this context it is quite noteworthy the visit of Hilmi Guler, Turkey’s minister of energy and natural resources, to the USA in February 2006. He had meetings with the US energy minister Samuel Bodman and State department’s senior officials in the field of economy and energy. Besides, he paid a special visit to “North Anna” nuclear station in the state of Virginia. At the end of the visit we get some interesting information concerning to his mission from the press conference held by Guler. According to him Turkey also plans to expend energetic sources, reduce dependence on oil and more concentrate on inland sources (as George W. Bush characterized it in his speech on January 31, 2006). As Gule pointed out, till 2020 Turkey plans to cover 10% of the expenses of about 54000 MW investment project on behalf of nuclear energy. Washington suggested Turkey to built nuclear stations equipped with the latest technological innovations. The US energy deputy minister Clay Sell particularly announced that “Turkey is a kind of classical country opportune to cooperate with”. According to Sell the US also envisages to satisfy fuel demands of any country desiring to build nuclear stations.

In March 2006 together with announcing about the envisaged construction of 3 nuclear stations Guler also pointed out their places-Sinop, Mersin Akkuyu and Mughla (three of them are in the western part of Turkey). In March Turkey’s foreign minister Gule had a meeting with IAEA president Mohamed El Baradei and asked for his support in Turkey’s nuclear program the official announcement of which will be made in June.

* * *

Thus, Turkey’s nuclear program, originated from the speech of the US president Eisenhower “Atoms for peace”, now gathered a new speed by the speech of George W. Bush, who claimed to more concentrate on alternative energy sources, particularly on nuclear energy, to weaken oil dependence of his country.

What will be Turkey’s position pretending on the role of an leader in the Middle East if Iran appears as a de facto nuclear state against Israel. Whether Ankara, officially appearing in favor of non-proliferation, will be able to refrain from that temptation. It’s already half a century that Ankara develops its nuclear potential and has quite a big scientific-technical potential. Each unsuccessful attempt drew it closer to its goal. For Ankara nuclear energy has always been of primary importance and its outward suspending didn’t suppose the hold up of its backstage work. Turkey is just waiting for convenient international situation to announce about its nuclear pretentiousness all over the world.


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