CTBTO Executive Secretary lauds Armenian monitoring station for preventing disinformation on nuclear tests

Armenia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Arpine Sargsyan, received a delegation led by Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Dr. Robert Floyd. 

Andranik Hovhannisyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization also attended the meeting.

Minister Sargsyan, praising the effective cooperation, reiterated Armenia’s readiness to strengthen and expand it, the ministry said in a press release. 

Emphasizing the ongoing capacity building of the staff at the Seismic Protection Territorial Service, the Minister highlighted the importance of employees’ participation in training courses and conferences organized by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

Speaking about the Garni Seismic Station, Minister Sargsyan noted that it is the only internationally licensed station in the region, transmitting data in real time via satellite to the International Data Center. This ensures Armenia’s participation in the global system for seismic and nuclear test monitoring.

Dr. Robert Floyd, welcoming the acceptance of the proposal to hold a regional workshop in Armenia in 2026, noted that it will serve as an important platform for discussing the services of the international monitoring system and national data centers, as well as for exchanging experiences among representatives of participating countries.

The Executive Secretary said that Armenia is a reliable partner for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. He praised the work of the Seismic Protection Territorial Service and emphasized the importance of ensuring Armenia’s representation in the system through the National Data Center.

In the context of combating disinformation, Dr. Robert Floyd thanked Arpine Sargsyan, highlighting the accurate data provided by the Garni Seismic Station, which helped prevent the spread of disinformation regarding nuclear tests and contributed to strengthening regional peace and stability.

The upcoming programs and initiatives were discussed at the meeting. Both sides expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Armenia in Austria for its support in the framework of the cooperation.