First Armenia should shut down nuclear plant – Turkish minister

It is absolutely necessary to shut down the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant based in Metsamor, the Turkish energy minister has said.

"If the disaster in Japan has caused many country's to think of closing nuclear plants, the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant which was built 35-40 years ago should be the first in line," Taner Yildiz told the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet.

"The nuclear power plant equipped with obsolete supplies is just 16 km away from us, and that troubles us a lot. It is absolutely necessary to take certain steps in that direction. We have applied to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," the Turkish minister said, recalling the Chernobyl disaster.