ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN DISPUTE NUCLEAR PLANT
Hurriyet
March 29 2012
Turkey
Azerbaijani President Aliyev (L) calls the closure of Armenian nuclear
plant. REUTERS photo The Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents disputed
the safety of the Armenian nuclear power plant in Metsamor, in front
of world leaders at the Seoul summit earlier this week.
Addressing the heads of more than 50 nations, including the United
States, Russia and China, at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called for the closure of the
Armenian nuclear power plant. Speaking there on March 27 he said that
the station, built in 1976, was outdated, did not meet modern safety
standards and was located in a seismic zone. Aliyev said that all
this had turned the site into a potential source of threat.
In response, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan labeled Aliyev’s claims
“disinformation” and said that “spreading slander about Armenia has
long become a manner of action in Azerbaijan.” Sargsyan stressed the
full compliance of the plant with International Atomic Energy Agency
requirements, and that this had been confirmed by the international
nuclear watchdog’s mission last year. Sargsyan also criticized
Turkey and Azarbaijan for “exaggerating the issue,” Anatolia news
agency reported. “Two out of Armenia’s four neighbors, in blatant
violation of international norms, have been blockading our country
for the last twenty years, leaving us no alternative to achieving
energy independence,” he said, the Armenianow website reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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