BUENOS AIRES, April 23. /TASS/. Argentinean companies are keeping the interest in interacting with Russia, although major projects and cooperation at the official level are actually frozen, Russian Ambassador in Buenos Aires Dmitry Feoktistov told reporters.

"Russian and Argentinean companies are still keeping the interest in continuing interaction, especially that the solid basis was established for that. Simply it is now a transitional period, as I would name it, related to anti-Russian sanctions, concerns regarding secondary sanctions of the US, problems in the sphere of logistics and cross-border bank transfers; the period when the Argentinean business is in a suspended condition, without understanding how to build the relationship in practice," the Russian diplomat said.

The business council of Russia and Argentina has been reestablished recently, with businessmen focusing on continuation of interaction among its members, the Ambassador noted. "Still there has been no progress lately on major projects. This is not associated exclusively with the new international situation evolved after the start of the special military operation," Feoktistov said. The economic crisis in Argentina and changes in priorities in the national energy policy are among causes, he added.

"We believe we should progress in small steps at this stage. We do not lose optimism," Feoktistov stressed. The nuclear power sector and lithium can be of interest for the Russian side in Argentina at present, he noted. "Argentina has announced two international tenders literally this week - for the upgrade of the Atucha I nuclear power plant and for construction of spent nuclear fuel storage facility. It seems to me these projects could be interesting and promising for us, primarily considering the vast international experience of Rosatom [Russian state nuclear corporation - TASS] in this sphere," the diplomat said.

The Embassy continues communications with the Foreign Ministry of Argentina and other authorities "but there are no new initiatives at present," Feoktistov said. "Even if they appear, the Argentineans give an indication that it is not the time at present. Again, this is in all spheres - in political, economic and humanitarian ones," he added.