Robert Kocharyan: The nuclear energy agreement signed by Pashinyan  and Vance in Yerevan does not imply investments 

ArmInfo.What is currently being presented to the Armenian people  has no relation to  reality. It's nothing more than a storm in a teacup, as stated by Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan, on Channel 5, referring to the discussions surrounding $9 billion in American investments.

Recall, US Vice President J.D. Vance announced in Yerevan a phased $9  billion investment under the 123 Agreement as part of cooperation  with Armenia in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. "This will pave  the way for American and Armenian companies to conclude deals on  civil nuclear energy projects." "This represents up to $5 billion in  initial American exports, plus an additional $4 billion in long-term  support through fuel supply and maintenance contracts," the US Vice  President stated at a briefing in Yerevan.  However, due to a  mistranslation, many interpreted this statement as information about  a $9 billion investment in the traditional sense. Consequently,  representatives of the ruling Civil Contract party began  congratulating Armenians on the anticipated large-scale investment,  while their opponents began sounding the alarm that these $9 billion  would become a new debt burden for Armenian citizens.

Meanwhile, the second President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert  Kocharyan, believes that only a bilateral statement was signed  concluding negotiations on joining the Treaty on Peaceful Atomic  Energy.  He urges people to verify this information on the US Embassy  website. The same statement is written on Prime Minister Pashinyan's  official website: "Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and US Vice  President James D. Vance signed a joint statement on the completion  of negotiations on the Agreement on Cooperation between the  Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the  United States of America in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear  Energy." In other words, the document merely "confirms the completion  of negotiations," and not even the agreement itself.

"This is another agreement that we are becoming a party to. But this  does not mean investments or anything else," Kocharyan states. The  United States has signed a similar document with 26 countries,  including Russia. "This does not even imply a promise that a nuclear  power plant will be built in Armenia," the former president added.   Therefore, Kocharyan explains, this is simply a window of opportunity  for Armenia to acquire similar projects from the United States. "They  are simply promoting their nuclear technologies, and it is normal for  a leader to try to introduce their country's technologies to the  markets of other countries," the former president asserts.

Robert Kocharyan points out that the United States has no experience  building similar nuclear power plants abroad; currently, only Russia  is building five or six such plants outside its borders. The United  States is actively promoting this idea due to it's lagging position  in this area, and the high cost of its nuclear energy.  Furthermore,  the United States lacks experience in building nuclear power plants  outside the United States; moreover, its domestic nuclear power  plants require subsidies.  "The most recent nuclear power plant  constructed in the United States turned out to be quite costly for  the country," Kocharyan notes, emphasizing that the capital costs of  generating 1 kW of installed capacity at a nuclear power plant in the  United States are five to six times higher than in Russia or China.

"No one will incur such expenses, as they will then be included in  the tariffs," he clarifies. "This is business, not charity. If you  can build a nuclear power plant of the same quality for five times  less cost, then you're imposing a burden on citizens that's five  times lighter," the former president concludes.  J.D. Vance arrived  in Armenia on February 9 for an official two-day visit. Following  talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the US Vice  President, it was announced that Washington would supply Yerevan with  $11 million worth of reconnaissance drones. An agreement was also  signed to continue cooperation in  developing civilian nuclear energy  worth $9 billion, under which Yerevan will receive small modular  reactor technology. The two countries' politicians also discussed  trade issues, focusing on the sale of advanced American computer  chips to Armenia, as the country plans to establish a powerful AI  center. Other agreements included American investments in  transportation infrastructure,  as part of the Trump Route for Peace  and Prosperity Initiative (TRIPP). 

It is worth noting that, on February 11, in response to a question  from NA Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan in parliament about when the  Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant would finally be closed and with whom  Armenia would cooperate on building a new one, Pashinyan stated that  Armenia was still deciding which nuclear power plant to build. He  stated that the operational life of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant  could be extended until 2046, whereas it was previously assumed to  last until 2036. He also added that a decision on constructing a new  plant could be made during this period.