Statement at the 67th session of the IAEA General Conference

Today in Vienna, the head of the Belarusian delegation at the 67th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Permanent Representative of Belarus to International Organisations in Vienna, Andrei Dapkiunas, delivered the national statement during the general debate of the conference.

As the main achievement of recent years and of the agency, in particular, A. Dapkiūnas noted the general awareness of the importance of the contribution of nuclear energy and non-energy applications of nuclear technologies to ensuring sustainable development in the world. He noted Belarus' support for efforts to position nuclear energy as a safe, sustainable and reliable source of energy.

The head of the Belarusian delegation informed about the current status of the construction of the Belarusian NPP, emphasizing that from the very beginning of the implementation of the national nuclear energy program, Belarus has been and remains committed to the highest standards of nuclear and radiation safety. Belarus is fully open to constructive professional expert dialogue with all interested parties.

A. Dapkiunas also noted that, in accordance with existing practice, reports on IAEA review and advisory missions in Belarus are made publicly available, including via the agency’s information resources. The conclusions and proposals made are an important guideline in improving the national nuclear safety regime, increasing the reliability of nuclear installations, and ensuring the safety of nuclear material.

Having fully utilized the agency's expert potential and support tools to take into account the accumulated global experience in the field of nuclear energy uses, Belarus is willing to share its own experience in the development of nuclear power infrastructure.

The head of the Belarusian delegation noted the growing demand for the IAEA technical cooperation program. The agency's technical cooperation projects in Belarus improve the capacity building for the new nuclear power industry and help to ensure nuclear and radiation safety. These projects also make a significant contribution to the development of nuclear medicine and to solving the unique task of sustainable development of the territories affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

The Permanent Representative of Belarus in Vienna spoke in favor of further strengthening the leading role of the IAEA in expanding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and expressed interest in developing productive interaction between the IAEA and Belarus.

The full text of the statement (in Russian) is available here.

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