Belarus, IAEA director general discuss nuclear energy infrastructure development

09.03.2016

Governor from Belarus, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov and Belarus’ Resident Representative in International Organizations in Vienna Valery Voronetsky met with top officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as part of the work of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, representatives of the Embassy of Belarus in Austria told BelTA.

The meeting with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano touched upon a large number of matters concerning Belarus’ interaction with the IAEA in the development of nuclear energy infrastructure, efforts to ensure nuclear security and physical nuclear safety.

Prospects of future work within the framework of international agreements on nuclear matters were also discussed.

Belarus is already party to all the international conventions signed under the IAEA aegis. The number includes the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

The ratification of amendments to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material is now being discussed. The amendment expands the effect of the convention onto nuclear installations and also enables effective interaction of nations when nuclear materials are stolen or smuggled. The amendment has to be ratified by another eleven nations in order to come into effect. The physical nuclear safety is in the center of attention of the IAEA member states, including in view of preparations for the next ministerial conference on physical nuclear safety. The conference will take place in the IAEA HQ in December 2016 and is expected to become the most important international event in this sphere.

Belarus’ representatives also met with IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security Juan Carlos Lentijo. The meeting focused on practical aspects of organizing the visits of IAEA missions, for which Belarus sent the plans to the IAEA Secretariat in January 2015. The IAEA missions offer evaluative and consulting services, which are available to the member states upon request. The mission on evaluating Belarus’ regulatory infrastructure is expected to arrive in October 2016. It will be one of the most important missions for ensuring nuclear security and safety.

Tags: cooperation , IAEA , nuclear industry

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