According to today’s Hyurriyet Daily News, Turkish officials voiced their concerns regarding the safety of Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear plant during a meeting of the international community in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture. 

“The regions close to our eastern border are considered critical locations, vulnerable to possible radiological consequences, where urgent protective measures should be taken in the event of an accident,” Zafer Alper, president of the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK). 

Secretary-General of the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) Yukiya Amano noted that Metsamor’s operator needed to increase transparency in managing the aged facility. 

Amano added, however, that Armenia was already beginning to cooperate on the plant. “No one is perfect. It is important to improve the level of safety and, for the neighbouring country, the level of confidence.”