Yerevan, 19 September 1997 (RFE/RL) - Armenian officials Wednesday denied that Armenia is developing nuclear weapons. An Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman rejected as "ridiculous and not serious" a statement made Tuesday by Azerbaijan's foreign minister Hasan Hasanov that Armenia has received deliveries of nuclear warheads and is developing nuclear weapons at secret bases.
Hasanov was speaking in Tashkent at a conference on nuclear non-proliferation. No Armenian representative attended the conference.
Armenian Foreign ministry spokesman Arsen Gasparyan similarly termed Hasanov's statement "a provocation." Gasparyan said Armenia fully complies with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and uses its nuclear potential exclusively for peaceful purposes. He said that Armenia's Medzamor nuclear power station is regularly inspected by officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency who have found no violations.
Hasanov was speaking in Tashkent at a conference on nuclear non-proliferation. No Armenian representative attended the conference.
Armenian Foreign ministry spokesman Arsen Gasparyan similarly termed Hasanov's statement "a provocation." Gasparyan said Armenia fully complies with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and uses its nuclear potential exclusively for peaceful purposes. He said that Armenia's Medzamor nuclear power station is regularly inspected by officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency who have found no violations.