AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2009

Alleged nuclear reactors delivery to Armenia to be scrutinized

20-11-2009 06:54:51

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has said he was
unaware of transporting reactors to Armenia’s nuclear power plant
through Turkey’s territory but Baku would scrutinize reports to that
end.
Further, Azimov said the presence of nuclear reactors in Armenia poses
a threat to the region, noting that Azerbaijan and other regional
states as well as the European Union have been calling on Yerevan to
take action in this respect for many years.
`The EU is demanding a shutdown of the atomic power plant, taking into
account very low safety of the nuclear reactors and high seismic
activity in the region and in Armenia. Russia has devised a plan
jointly with Armenia that envisions re-equipping or repairing the
reactors. The reactors are presently managed and overseen by Russia.
You can look at it this way: supplying reactors producing nuclear
energy that are located in Armenia and controlled by Russia is a
bilateral affair between these two countries. If Russia wants to do
this work, we can view this only positively,’ Azimov said.
He said that whether or not the reactors are delivered to Armenia
through Turkey’s territory is a technical issue, but added: `Given
that the Turkey-Armenia border remains shut, this transit should be
viewed as an exclusive case.’
Turkish Ambassador in Baku, Hulusi Kilic, has termed as false the
reports on reactors’ transfer via his country.
`If Turkey-Armenia border is closed, there can’t be transit either,’ he said.
Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two
countries has been closed since 1993.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for over a decade.*