Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: Belarus will do utmost for regional nuclear security

MINSK, 1 October (BelTA) - Belarus will do its utmost to ensure nuclear security in the region, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Raphael Grossi in Minsk on 1 October, BelTA has learned.

“You should know that we are committed to security, peace and we will do everything we are capable of and what depends on us to ensure regional nuclear safety and security. Please rest assured. We are rational people and we do not rush into any kind of adventures,” the head of state said.

The president added that he had raised the topic for a reason, citing the recent statements made in Ukraine that “Lukashenko wanted to seize the Chernobyl plant”.

“I just cannot understand the idea behind such statements. Why may Lukashenko need the Chernobyl plant? We have suffered a lot after the explosion of this nuclear power plant, which, by the way, we did not build, we did not maintain and we did not blow up. A quarter of the Belarusian land suffered the most. We are still doing our best to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. I would like to assure you that this is a complete nonsense, which surprised me a lot. We cannot even imagine that we may have to ‘seize’ the Chernobyl plant and take responsibility for it. There is no such necessity on the part of Belarus. Believe me, the same is true on the part of Russia. There will never be such a need,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established as part of the United Nations Organization in 1957. The IAEA is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. Over 180 countries are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The organization provides assistance with the development of peaceful applications of nuclear energy, science, and technology; international safeguards against misuse of nuclear technology and nuclear materials; promotes and implements nuclear safety (including radiation protection) and nuclear security standards.

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