TURKISH NGOS DEMAND CLOSURE OF ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER STATION
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 13 2007
Representatives of NGOs in Turkey gathered in the Turkish town of
Igdir to demand the closure of the Armenian Metsamor nuclear power
plant, the news agency Regnum reports.
The event was staged to highlight an alleged public health threat
from the power station. It was stated that an industrial accident
or leakage of radioactive substance from the plant could contaminate
the entire region.
Metsamor is 16 kilometers from the Turkish border. Despite frequent
media assertions that radioactive leakage is a threat to the local
populations, official information provides analysis showing a safe
level of the radiation.
Armenia is planning to close the power plant soon at the demand of
the EU. However, Metsamor provides as much as 40 percent of Armenia’s
domestic energy and negotiations are underway with Russia to build
a replacement facility.