Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 4 / Trend , A.Tagiyeva /
The Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz will appeal to the IAEA asking it to close the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia, the Milliyet newspaper reported.
"Turkey will appeal to the IAEA to close the plant, which is already out dated," Mr. Yildiz said.
He said Turkey opposes the exploitation of older plants, especially those located near its territory. The world has approximately 26 nuclear power plants that have been operating for over 40 years and dangerous to the world.
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, a second reactor was launched.
Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in this area, as well as the intensification of seismic readings indicated by seismologist researches, in the case of a big accident taking place at Metsamor, not only Armenia, but also all countries in the Southern Caucasus and the Middle East would be seriously affected.