Belarus plays an active role in the CIS commission on peaceful nuclear energy

Representatives of the Belarusian energy industry play an active role in the operation of the CIS commission on peaceful uses of nuclear energy, BelTA learned from Nikolai Spassky, Deputy Director General, Director of the International Operations Division of the Russian state nuclear energy industry corporation Rosatom, on 12 November prior to the opening of the commission’s session.

“The commission operates successfully, regularly, meaningfully. Belarusian colleagues play a very active role in its work,” stated the Deputy Director General.

Nikolai Spassky pointed out that the 12 November session of the commission was significant because two agencies are integrated this year. In the past the EurAsEC council for cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy operated alongside with the CIS commission on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The latter will take over the authority as well as real projects and programs, including those with allocated funding, specified Nikolai Spassky. In particular, the CIS commission has taken over the interstate EurAsEC program for rehabilitating the territories affected by uranium-mining enterprises in Central Asia.

The Rosatom Deputy Director General noted that the session will be held against the backdrop of serious international events, including those affecting nuclear power engineering. The number includes several projects, which are being implemented, including the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. “The project involving Kazakhstan is off to a good start. After a long time full of indecision we are seriously discussing the project to build a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan using a Russian design,” added Rosatom’s Deputy Director General.

The 15th session of the CIS commission on peaceful uses of nuclear energy is expected to table about 15 items, including nuclear and radiation safety, the improvement of the legal base and technical regulations, information exchange, personnel training, the development of healthcare for the nuclear industry.

Participants of the session are expected to visit the information center and the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant near Ostrovets on 13 November.

The CIS commission on peaceful uses of nuclear energy was established in January 1997 by the relevant decision of the CIS Heads of State Council and represents an intergovernmental coordinating and consulting agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States. The commission is tasked with coordinating efforts of the CIS states for preparing concerted decisions on problems of multilateral cooperation in the development of nuclear power engineering. The commission includes representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine.