MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN, INT’L ORGANIZATIONS AGREE ON METSAMOR NPP’S THREATS

Trend
May 27 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and international organizations have already reached
a mutual agreement on the threat of the Metsamor NPP in Armenia,
Azerbaijani Ecology and Mineral Resources Minister Huseyngulu Bagirov
said at today’s press conference.

“Work on the Metsamor NPP is conducted constantly. I can say that a
new certificate is developed each month and is sent to the Foreign
Ministry,” Bagirov said.

The Metsamor NPP was built in 1970.

After the devastating Spitak earthquake the activity of this plant
had been suspended, but in 1995, despite international protests,
the work of the station was reactivated, and in addition, the second
reactor was launched.

Despite the fact that the EU has demanded the immediate closure of the
station until 2011 and declared its readiness to assign 100 million
euro to Armenia to cover its energy needs, the country has not agreed.

Armenia does not hide the fact that it intends to use Metsamor until
2016, and even in the longer term until 2031. Given the large number
of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in this area, a disaster
would hurt the entire South Caucasus and the Middle East would be
seriously affected.