Damascus, May 11, 2010, SPA -- Russia may help build a nuclear power plant in Syria, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told Reuters today as the Kremlin moved to strengthen ties with a Soviet-era ally in the Middle East. On the first state visit to Syria by a Kremlin chief since the Bolshevik Revolution, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev played up prospects for nuclear power cooperation and said Washington should work harder for peace in the Middle East, Reuters reported. "Cooperation on atomic energy could get a second wind," Medvedev said at a news conference with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after their talks. Assad said he and Medvedev "talked about oil and gas cooperation, as well as constructing conventional or nuclear powered electricity stations." Asked whether Russia would build an atomic power plant in Syria, Shmatko told Reuters: "We are studying this question." -- SPA 21:42 LOCAL TIME 18:42 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/779867