US reviving Armenia’s request for nuclear pact, State Dept confirms

The United States has confirmed that it is currently reviewing a request from Armenia to sign a civil nuclear technology agreement.

The document would allow Washington to transfer civil nuclear technology to Yerevan, a State Department spokesperson told CivilNet.

That could pave the way for the US to design and build a new nuclear power plant in Armenia to replace the country’s aging, Soviet-era facility in the town of Metsamor.

“The U.S. Government does not share details of the negotiation process, but we can share that the State Department is giving Armenia’s request for a 123 Agreement the proper attention and due consideration,” the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson gave no other details on what they called “the internal process for U.S. government negotiations with other countries,” including a timeline for a final decision.

In 2022, Armenia and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Civil Nuclear Cooperation.Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act generally requires the conclusion of a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement for significant transfers of nuclear material or equipment from the United States. Moreover, such agreements, commonly referred to as “123 Agreements,” facilitate cooperation in other areas, such as technical exchanges, scientific research, and safeguards discussions.

News.Az