OSCE parliamentarians propose closing old nuclear power plants
By Gunay Camal
The danger and possible consequences of old nuclear power plants operating in the OSCE area were mulled as some 300 parliamentarians from 54 OSCE countries have gathered at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi.
The Committee members discussed topics including transnational terrorism, regional cooperation, climate change, migration and the rights of refugees, enhancing OSCE early warning mechanisms to enable swifter action on international challenges, as well as questions related to the Chernobyl disaster, Azertac reported.
Azerbaijani parliamentarians made certain suggestions to the draft final document, as they proposed an amendment on closure of the old nuclear power plants in the active seismic zones, stating they were potential threat and should be immediately stopped, said Azerbaijani MP Kamran Nabizade said.
The Metsamor NPP, which has been operating in Armenia for several decades, is one of such plants posing an economic danger for the region. Environmentalists have long been concerned that the Armenian authorities refuse to close the outdated Metsamor NPP, any catastrophe at which could kill thousands in Armenia itself, and the whole region.
Metsamor NPP, located on high-seismic active zone, began to operate in 1976. The license for the exploitation of the station will expire on September 1, 2016. Nevertheless, the Armenian government has made the decision to prolong the date of exploitation of the plant for additional 10 years.
Doris Barnet, head of the German delegation to the OSCE PA, has supported the position of Azerbaijani parliamentarians, while the Armenian delegation called on the participants to protest the amendment.
But,the Committee members voted for the amendment made by Azerbaijani parliamentarians, urging to stop the use of the old nuclear power plants.
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