EU reminds Armenia on Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU department, reminded Armenia of the obligations undertaken by the country after it signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Armenia is party to the NPT, Kocijancic told Trend May 12, commenting on the recent statement by Armenian former prime minister, MP Hrant Bagratyan.
Bagratyan said on April 29 that Armenia has a atomic weapon. When asked by journalists to clarify, Bagratyan replied that Armenia has an opportunity to build atomic weapon.
"Article II of the NPT states that each non-nuclear weapon State Party undertakes not to receive, from any source, nuclear weapons, or other nuclear explosive devices; not to manufacture or acquire such weapons or devices; and not to receive any assistance in their manufacture," Kocijancic said. "Armenia has joined the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State Party and we have no information that it would have withdrawn from the Treaty."
Armenia has been a party to the NPT since 1993, and in 1997 signed the Additional Protocol on its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which means the activities in its nuclear facilities have been regularly verified by the IAEA, she said.
"Further, Armenia has signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which prohibits nuclear testing, i.e. putting serious limitations on the development of nuclear weapon capabilities," Kocijancic said.
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