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IAEA chief stresses commitment to "safety first" in nuclear energy use

Xinhua, April 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Monday highlighted the importance of putting safety first in the development of nuclear energy.

"The Fukushima Daiichi accident was a painful reminder that a terrible accident can happen anywhere. Plant operators, nuclear regulators and governments must demonstrate total commitment to the principle of 'safety first'," said Amano at the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

"The IAEA is finalizing a report on the accident which is intended to provide an authoritative, factual and balanced assessment of what went wrong, and why, in order to help improve nuclear safety everywhere," said Amano.

According to Amano, nuclear power has continued to play an important part in the global energy mix, despite the accident. IAEA projections show that use of nuclear power will increase in the coming decades.

In terms of the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Amano said, "I remain seriously concerned about the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

"It is nearly six years since Agency inspectors were asked to leave the DPRK. Nevertheless, the Agency maintains its readiness to play an essential role in verifying the DPRK's nuclear program, " Amano said.

Primary responsibility for nuclear safety lies with each individual country, but international cooperation is vital. The IAEA is where much of that cooperation takes place, said Amano.

The conference, which is going to last from April 27 to May 22, is expected to cover a number of key issues, including universality of the NPT, nuclear disarmament with specific practical measures and nuclear non-proliferation.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong leads a delegation to attend the conference and will address the general debate later on Monday.

Conferences to review the operation of the NPT have been held every five years since it went into effect in 1970. The 2015 conference is also set to review issues including implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, measures to address withdrawal from the treaty, and ways to promote disarmament education. Endite