Statement by Mr. Arsen Kotanjyan, First Secretary of the Delegation of Armenia at the First Committee Thematic Discussion on Nuclear Weapons

17 October, 2025

Mr. Chair,

Disarmament and non-proliferation are among the priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy agenda. Armenia attaches great importance to the existing arms reduction and disarmament regimes and stresses the necessity of the universality of NPT and the IAEA safeguards regime.

Armenia remains firmly committed to fulfilling its obligations under the NPT, and reiterates its firm support for the full, complete, effective implementation of the treaty and calls upon the States that have not yet done so to join the NPT as non-nuclear weapon States.

Mr. Chair,

We opted for a transparent and open policy for safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy and will continue to pursue this policy further, by strengthening and undertaking necessary measures to enhance and maintain nuclear safety. We appreciate the crucial role of the cooperation with IAEA through its Safeguards Agreements and Additional protocol, as well as its technical assistance program.

The safe and secure operation of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is a strategic priority for the Government of Armenia and we are committed to upholding the IAEA’s standards on nuclear safety and security and to their continuous enhancement.

Mr. Chair,

This year, Armenia’s tenure on the IAEA Board of Governors came to an end, marked by active and constructive participation in the Board’s deliberations and decision-making processes. We take this opportunity to reaffirm our continued commitment to the Agency’s mission and express our readiness to maintain close cooperation with all stakeholders.

There are crucial steps that must be taken to further advance disarmament efforts, and among them is the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Armenia views it as one of the key elements of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We extend our call upon all Annex 2 States that have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the Treaty.

Armenia reaffirms its full support for the establishment of a nuclear-weapons-free-zone in the Middle East. We are of the view that such zones should be established on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among all the States of the region concerned.

In conclusion, Mr. Chair, we would like to express our hope that inclusive and transparent discussions on global security matters will bring our positions closer, and will create more conducive environment for achieving tangible results in the areas of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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