Minsk confirms plans to build NPP in cooperation with IAEA - IAEA chief
MINSK. April 3 (Interfax) - Belarus has pledged to ensure a high level of safety and transparency in building a nuclear power plant and developing nuclear power engineering in general, said International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukia Amano.
The positive moment is that Belarus is assuming responsibility for ensuring a higher level of safety and transparency, Amano told the media in Minsk on Tuesdays after talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Amano also said that the talks had dealt with nuclear power engineering and Belarus plans to use it. Importantly, it was confirmed that Belarus will further develop nuclear power engineering in strong cooperation with the IAEA, he said.
On Belarus' plans to build a nuclear power plant, Amano said responsibility for nuclear safety rests with each country and the IAEA has capabilities to help guarantee it. An integrated IAEA mission is to be sent to Belarus to examine the infrastructure for building the nuclear power plant, he said, adding that the understanding will be reached in meetings that the country is using nuclear energy in a safe mode with the protection required for nuclear facilities.
Commenting on Lukashenko's statement that a second nuclear power plant could be built, he said that the question whether or not a nuclear power plant should be built, and how many nuclear power plants the country may have, should be decided by the country on its own. The IAEA is not telling the countries how many nuclear power plants theyt must have, he said. But if a country makes the decision to build a nuclear power plant, the safest way should be chosen. The IAEA could offer its services in this respect, he said.
