Belarusian nuclear safety watchdog attaches importance to international cooperation
International cooperation in nuclear safety is important, First Deputy Head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Leonid Dedul said at a press conference, BelTA has learned.
"As part of the effort to develop and improve the legislation in the field of nuclear and radiation safety, we take into account international experience, in particular, the IAEA recommendations. We cooperated closely as we implemented the project to build the Belarusian nuclear power plant, in other words, during the first nuclear energy program. We apply the same approaches to ensuring radiation safety in the territory affected by the Chernobyl accident," he said. Belarus also defends the national reviews on the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management every three years.
As for interaction with neighboring countries, cooperation is smooth within the framework of the Union State, Leonid Dedul said. "Recently, there have been certain restrictions, on the mutual exchange of information with Ukraine, taking into account the ongoing developments. Although we are open to dialogue with Ukraine and with Lithuania and ready to discuss various solutions.
For example, Poland is planning to build a nuclear power plant and is working on safety documents under the Espoo Convention (on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context). As the neighboring country of Poland presents reports, we have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers from them. We hope that this work will continue in the future," Leonid Dedul said.
Written by belta.by