A broad public discussion of environmental problems began in the

mid-1980s, when the first “green” groups formed in opposition to

Erevan’s intense industrial air pollution and to nuclear power generation

in wake of the 1986 reactor explosion at Chernobyl. Environmental 【M1】__________________

issues helped form the basis of the nationalist independence movement

when environmental demonstrations subsequently merged with these for 【M2】__________________

other political causes in the late 1980s.

In independent Armenia, environmental issues divide society into

those who fear of “environmental time bombs” and those who view 【M3】__________________

resumption of pollution-prone industrial operations as the only mean of 【M4】__________________

improving the country’s economy. In the early 1990s, the latter group

blamed Armenia’s economic woes on a role played by the former in 【M5】__________________

closing major industries.

In 1994 three national environmental laws were in effect: the Law

on Environmental Protection, the Basic Law on the Environment, and

the Law on Mineral Resources. The Council of Ministers, Armenia’s

cabinet, includes a minister of the environment. Therefore, no 【M6】__________________

comprehensive environmental protection program has emerged, and

decisions on environmental policy have been made on an ad hoc basis.

Environmental conditions in Armenia have been worsened by the

Azerbaijani blockade of supplies and electricity from outside. The results

of the blockade and the failure of diplomatic efforts to lift it led the

government propose reconstruction of the Armenian Atomic Power 【M7】__________________

Station at Metsamor, which was closed after the 1988 earthquake

because of its location in an earthquake-prone area and what had the 【M8】__________________

same safety problems as reactors listed as dangerous in Bulgaria, Russia,

and Slovakia. After heating debates over startup continued through 【M9】__________________

1993, French and Russian nuclear consultants declared operating

conditions basically safe. Continuation of the blockade into 1994 gave

added emergency to the decision. 【M10】_________________

【M1】