Belarus to defend report on Nuclear Safety Convention in IAEA HQ in March-April

MINSK, 25 February (BelTA) – Belarus' national report on fulfilling the Convention on Nuclear Safety will be defended in the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during a review meeting of the contracting parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) on 23 March – 3 April, representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) told BelTA.

Belarus' eighth national report met an increased interest of the contracting parties. As many as 239 questions regarding the report were submitted. Only Finland, Russia, and China received more questions. Comprehensive answers were given to every question.

Most of the questions focused on the sections concerning the regulatory authority, safety evaluation and verification, and radiation protection. The contracting parties also demonstrated strong interest in the assimilation of proposals and recommendations put forward as a result of IAEA assessment missions and peer reviews in Belarus.

In line with the established procedure participating countries (contracting parties) have to prepare national reports on fulfilling the convention every three years. Belarus' eighth national report describes how the country honored its commitments in 2016-2019 taking into account the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant.

The Convention on Nuclear Safety was adopted on 17 June 1994. The document is designed to secure and maintain a high level of nuclear safety all over the world by beefing up national measures and international cooperation, by creating and supporting effective safeguards at nuclear installations to protect from potential radioactive threats. The document is meant to protect individual persons and the society as a whole as well as the environment from the harmful impact of ionizing radiation. It is designed to prevent emergencies with radioactive consequences and alleviate consequences of such emergencies if they happen.

At present the Convention on Nuclear Safety unites 88 contracting parties. Belarus ratified the convention in 1998.