Ilham Aliyev: Armenian NPP must be closed

Azerbaijan has made great efforts to prevent the use of the country as a transit route in the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. This was stated by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on March 25 in his speech at the III nuclear security summit in The Hague.

According to him, Azerbaijan, working closely with this purpose with international partners, generates the appropriate international standards based on the effective legislation to develop a national export control system .

The President said that in the recently adopted Maritime Security Strategy Azerbaijan identified proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and related materials as one of the " greatest threats to maritime security ."
However, Aliyev noted that due to the continuing occupation of 20 percent of the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan the country has no ability to control part of its borders properly. This situation creates the conditions for transnational organized crime, illegal transport of nuclear and radioactive materials , as well as contamination of Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan by the disposal of radioactive waste.

Next Azerbaijani President drew attention to the fact that the old nuclear power plant in Armenia built almost 40 years ago is a big threat to the entire region and the nearest neighbors. Consequences of any accident on it will be tragic. But instead of eliminating the international concern and closing the power plant, Armenia adopted a decision on continuation of the nuclear power plant by 2026, despite the fact that it is located in a highly seismic zone and is based on an outdated and extremely dangerous technology.

"We are committed to continuing cooperation with international organizations and with our partners in strengthening nuclear security in the region and around the world, to reducing the threats of illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials," said Aliyev.

During the summit, Aliyev met with the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland David Cameron, the Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Renzi , and the Turkish President Abdullah Gul . -06D-