Azerbaijani MFA issues statement on 35th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has released a statement on the 35th International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.

According to Report, the statement reads:

"On the occasion of 35th International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, we express our solidarity with the countries and all people affected by this tragedy.

"The nuclear accident at Chernobyl, near Pripyat in the northern part of Ukraine in 1986 was a humanitarian tragedy on an enormous scale. The explosion released large quantities of radioactive materials into the atmosphere, causing contamination of varying degrees in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. It was one of the most severe nuclear accidents, exposing several hundreds of thousands of people to high radiation levels and forcing about 350,000 to leave their homes from contaminated areas. Thirty-one people perished immediately, and between 4,000 and 27,000 people died as a result of radiation exposure. Many people living hundreds of kilometers from the explosion site fell ill with radiation in the aftermath of the disaster.

"Azerbaijan and some other countries actively participated in the mitigation of the consequences of the accident by sending more than 7,000 rescuers and other personnel immediately to the area. Azerbaijan temporarily hosted about 7,000 people affected by calamity and provided them with essential rehabilitation and treatment. Azerbaijan paid enormous human costs. Approximately 5,000 persons are currently suffering from the consequences of the Chernobyl accident in Azerbaijan, and an estimated 2,000 citizens affected by the Chernobyl accident have since passed away.

"The Chernobyl accident had a profound impact on the nuclear industry, leading to increased cooperation on safety and new legal instruments. Most crucially, it focused global attention on safety and the importance of human and organizational factors in achieving these changes. The far-reaching effect of this disaster has proven that the security of nuclear power plants should concern not only the states in which they are located but also nearby countries that may be affected by potential risks.

"In this context, the Metsamor (NPP) risks in Armenia need to be thoroughly addressed by the international community. This NPP was built in the years 1976-1980 with similar technology used in Chernobyl and is located in an active seismic zone. The fateful combination of outdated technology and location places Metsamor among the world's most dangerous nuclear plants. Despite continuous warnings by various international organizations calling the facility "a danger to the entire region," Armenia still exploits Metsamor NPP beyond its operational life span.

"In 2020 the European Union once again urged Armenia to close the plant, it said the plant "could not be upgraded to meet internationally accepted nuclear safety standards fully, and therefore requires an early closure and safe decommissioning."

"Using out-of-date technology and not following safety instructions during the operation of the Metsamor poses severe environmental problems for the wider region.

"Furthermore, repeated incidents of smuggling of nuclear materials such as highly enriched uranium raise additional concerns regarding proper physical protection of the plant and its nuclear materials.

"On this day of commemoration, we call upon all relevant international organizations, civil society institutions active in nuclear safety and environmental issues, and regional countries to raise public awareness of preventing a potential disaster and mobilize their efforts in advocating for the suspension of Metsamor NPP."