MINSK. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Russian state nuclear power corporation Rosatom is willing to use Belarusian companies that have gained good reputations in the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus for projects in third countries, Rosatom Chairman Sergei Kirienko said in a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday.
During the meeting Lukashenko proposed that Rosatom use Belarusian companies to build nuclear power plants in third countries.
"I am counting on this that we learn something here [in the construction of the first Belarusian nuclear power plant] and can build at other sites with you," the Belarusian president said. "If we learn to build nuclear power plants, we are willing to use your technology and move with you where you are building throughout the world," he added.
Lukashenko asked Kirienko if Russia would invite Belarusian companies to other sites.
"That is so. We, honestly, also looked at the [joint] experience with a view to the future," Kirienko said. "And we really are willing to use the most qualified organizations that have proved themselves in the building of the first Belarusian nuclear power plant," he said.
He added that this would include building plants in third countries as well as Russia.
"We already have 22 blocks contracted out throughout the world in our portfolio currently," he said. A deal was recently signed with Hungary and tenders were won for construction of reactors in Finland and Jordan.
"We start talks at $5 billion per reactor. That is the starting price and the last tenders won envisage a higher price," he said.
"This means that the huge amount of contracts: 22 contracted reactors - is worth over $110 billion," he said. Kirienko commented that there was a positive outlook for Russian-Belarusian cooperation in this area.