Armenia Has No Oil or Gas, But Has Vast Water Resources, Says Armen Sarkissian

The President of the Republic, Armen Sarkissian, who is on a working visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, participated today in a discussion at the World Economic Forum devoted to the Middle East and North Africa, titled "New Energy for the Middle East."

During the discussion, the president spoke about the energy sources available in the modern world, emphasizing the principle of not harming the natural environment. While discussing coal, oil, and gas as energy sources, President Armen Sarkissian highlighted the importance of utilizing renewable energy sources. At the same time, he noted the necessity of using nuclear energy.

"Nuclear energy is important. Our past was dark, as we burned coal and organic fossil fuels; today we are trying to add green to our grey reality through renewable energy to achieve an absolutely green and wonderful future. The question is whether nuclear energy will be a part of this or not. In my personal opinion, it should be, as it would accelerate this process. No one has conducted a mathematical calculation of the damages we are inflicting on the planet, the environment, and the climate by burning fuel and coal. The damage to the climate will have a huge impact on the planet," Sarkissian stated. He believes that nuclear energy has a future.

"Like many countries, Armenia has a very balanced energy portfolio, starting from a nuclear power plant. This is a plant built during the Soviet era that has operated normally throughout the years and has stood firm after two major earthquakes.

We are also promoting renewable energy in Armenia. Armenia exports electricity," Armen Sarkissian presented.

As an energy source, he spoke about water. "I want to talk about water as a natural resource. It is very important. All countries that talked about having rich natural resources were rich in sunlight, wind, and oil, but not in water. Meanwhile, water is critically important because 50-100 years from now, it will be an energy source. We will use it not only for drinking but also for generating energy.

I consider Armenia a part of the Middle East. Although Armenia has no oil or gas, it has vast water resources. Unfortunately, we probably use only 10-20 percent of our water resources, while the rest is wasted. Water is important," the president emphasized.