A campaign launched in Azerbaijan to shut down the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant of the Armenian Republic. Special Facebook page and event as wells as Twitter account were created to run the #StopMetsamor campaign.

As one of the initiators of the campaign, AzVision.az appealed with open letter to the World Community, the UN and the IAEA to shut down the Metsamor NPP as it is hazardous for the region and the World, as well as a source for dirty bomb and nuclear materials smuggling.

The letter reads:

`We call to stop operation of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant

Azerbaijan shares concern of the international community on increasing nuclear threats and risks. Our country has attached great importance to ensuring nuclear security since the first days of independence.

We hope that Azerbaijan`s proposal on making the South Caucasus region the nuclear-free zone would be supported both by the neighboring countries and international community. From this point of view the existence of outdated Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia raises serious concern.

The ANPP complex consists of two units. The first one was set in motion on December 22 of 1976, and the second one was launched on January 5, 1980. The plant contains two VVER-440 Model V270 nuclear reactors. Reactor of this Power Plant was considered as the most insecure reactor among the six Soviet Union`s reactors in the USSR and Eastern Europe region according to the international experts. Furthermore, there are not enough water resources to cool its reactor. Moreover, radiation is a key problem for both personnel and the environment around the NPP.

The NPP lies close to earthquake-prone locality, the seismic stability of which is 8-magnitude. After the earthquake in 1989 USSR Ministers Council decided that the existing two units of the NPP must shut down. After five to six years of being shuttered, the Unit Two reactor was restarted on November 5, 1995

At a press conference on April 29 in Armenia, MP Hrant Bagratyan, a former prime minister, claimed that Armenia has nuclear weapons. A recording of his talk was later released by the Media Center, an Armenian NGO.

“We have the ability to create nuclear weapons,” Bagratyan told journalists, adding, “We have nuclear weapons.”

The press conference came following an earlier speech to parliament during which Bagratyan urged the creation of nuclear weapons to prevent “further attacks and aggression” from neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan. “There is no alternative, we have to protect ourselves,” he said.

Since 2014, eight Armenians have been arrested for attempting to smuggle and/or sell nuclear materials in Georgia. In January 2016, three Armenians were arrested for attempting to bring cesium 137 across the border. In August 2014, two Armenians were arresting for the same thing.

These arrests come amid reports by intelligence officials that Islamic State (ISIS) and other terrorist groups are trying to obtain materials to build a “dirty bomb,” which they could explode in Europe, the United States or Israel.

Taking into consideration all these facts the Azerbaijani side calls to stop operation of Metsamor immediately to prevent any tragic accident and illicit trafficking in radioactive materials in the future.

The world must take note of the dangerous games being played by Armenian officials with the nuclear issue. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,`

Sabina Hasanova
AzVision.az

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