OREANDA-NEWS. November 08, 2012. Implementing the national nuclear power engineering program, Belarus pays attention to ensuring nuclear and radiation safety. In view of this the safety and security of the future nuclear power plant is a national priority. The fact was emphasized by Mr Yevgeny Lazarev, Deputy Head of the Central Office for Multilateral Diplomacy, Head of the Global Policy and Humanitarian Cooperation Office of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, in his speech at the plenary session of the UN General Assembly, the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry told BelTA.

The Belarusian diplomat remarked that Belarus takes all the steps necessary to develop the nuclear power engineering industry in tight cooperation with the IAEA, strictly abiding by norms and standards of the agency as the IAEA mission on the nuclear energy infrastructure confirmed in June 2012.

Yevgeny Lazarev confirmed that Belarus supports the IAEA efforts as the leading international institution that fosters safe, reliable and peaceful uses of nuclear energy for the sake of sustainable development.

Belarus’ representative also noted fruitful cooperation with the IAEA secretariat and the country’s important contribution to the enhancement of physical nuclear safety via taking part in the implementation of an integrated plan of actions.

Yevgeny Lazarev stated the need to preserve and enhance and provide finance for the technical cooperation program as a priority in IAEA activities.

Speaking about disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, the representative of Belarus stated that the country closely adheres to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the agreement on the application of safeguards and attaches great importance to the system of IAEA guarantees that includes an additional protocol as a standard of verification activities.

A Belarus delegation took part in discussions about a report of the International Atomic Energy Agency as part of the UN General Assembly on 5 November.