MINSK, 14 April (BelTA) – Belarus expects to welcome assessment missions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2016-2017, spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik told journalists on 14 April, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already sent letters to the IAEA inviting assessment missions to visit Belarus. “We expect to welcome them in 2016 or in early 2017,” Dmitry Mironchik said.
The official noted that the IAEA Director General has plans to visit the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant near Ostrovets in 2016. Apart from IAEA’s executive managers, the construction site was visited by advisory missions comprising IAEA experts.
Dmitry Mironchik pointed out that Belarus is one of the founders of the IAEA. It is a party to all international conventions signed under the auspices of the agency. Belarus and the IAEA maintain close political contacts. IAEA’s executive managers regularly visit Belarus. In 2015, the country was elected to the IAEA Board of Governors for two years for the third time. The priorities of Belarus-IAEA cooperation include the development of the national nuclear energy infrastructure, healthcare, and rehabilitation of Chernobyl-affected areas.