Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has called on UN member states to make efforts to minimize the use of highly enriched uranium, the presidential press service has reported.
Distinguished Secretary-General,
Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
First of all I would like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his initiative of holding today’s meeting.
The chosen subject is of great importance and urgency.
The accident that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan has drastically refocused our vision of nuclear power safety.
The process of rehabilitation of the concept of the peaceful atomic energy has been substantially damaged.
For us, the lesson of the nuclear accident in Japan is evident and we learned it twenty-five years ago – nuclear power requires constant attention and adherence to the highest safety standards.
Let me share some practical suggestions on the main subject of our discussion.
First. The decisive conclusion of the events at Fukushima is a need to improve the mechanism of response to the consequences of accidents and disasters at the nuclear and radiation hazardous objects.
We believe that the coordinating role of the IAEA in this regard should be reviewed and strengthened:
– mechanisms enabling the operative exchange of information, both by the Agency, and directly between the countries, require substantial improvement;
– Agency’s standards concerning nuclear security should become comprehensive in their nature, especially for the countries implementing nuclear energy programs;
– the Agency’s core role in assessing and analyzing nuclear radiation accidents, as well as their impacts, should be significantly strengthened.
Second. The thorough safety assessment of existing nuclear power plants for the extreme impacts is another urgent task to accomplish. In particular, Ukraine has joint the EU initiative implying stress tests for nuclear power plants, and we believe that the implementation of this program will foster more efficient and consistent response to possible hazardous incidents.
Third. The development of innovative technologies based on the principles of natural security is to become a new technological platform that meets the needs of sustainable development and the requirements for non-proliferation, and, what is extremely important, will as well guarantee nuclear safety.
We should work together within the IAEA international project on innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles, in which Ukraine participates actively.
I would like to remind you that the issues of combining the innovative approach with the safe use of nuclear energy principle were the focus of the Kyiv Summit held in April this year in Ukraine in the framework of international events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear accident.
Using this opportunity, I would like to thank all the countries that responded to my initiative and participated in this high-level representative forum.
Distinguished Secretary-General,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am deeply convinced that we must not only increase the level of preparedness of nuclear facilities for emergency situations, but also create conditions for mobilizing scientific and technical potential of the entire international community to eliminate nuclear accidents.
In this regard, I want to draw your attention to the considerable experience Ukraine has in dealing with the matters of rehabilitation of affected areas and population that we are ready and willing to share.
Moreover, I am certain that the further important step towards enhancing international capabilities for responding to nuclear accidents and incidents would be establishing in Ukraine with the assistance and active participation of the IAEA of an international applied science center for research and technological risks of nuclear energy.
That will become a significant contribution to the security of future generations.
I am convinced that disasters cannot and should not inhibit technological progress.
There is a need to work together right now to improve the entire system of nuclear safety around the world, and Ukraine has already begun this process. I am convinced that it will result in much progress.
I want to draw your attention to the key importance of the appropriateness and safety of the use of highly enriched uranium.
Once again Ukraine has demonstrated its good will when it renounced the use of highly enriched uranium, by which we made another practical contribution to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation strategy.
I am pleased to point out that this position of Ukraine has found support among other members of the United Nations.
And I would like also to recall that during last year’s session of the UN General Assembly the delegations of Ukraine, Mexico, and Chile made a joint declaration as the countries that have voluntarily exerted a lot of efforts to minimize the use of highly enriched uranium.
I call on the member-states to follow our example. This will allow not only to reduce the risk of adverse situations, but it will become an essential step to prevent proliferation of nuclear technologies and materials for military and terrorist purposes.
I am deeply convinced that together we can ensure a secure future for the generations to come.
Thank you for your attention.
Source: Official website of President Viktor Yanukovych
