Wednesday, 18 April 2012
PM Receives IAEA Director-General
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano.
“Armenia is interested in the furtherance of the ongoing cooperation with the IAEA. The government pays great attention to the safety of the Armenian NPP. Our country was among the first ones to host a group of international experts following the events that took place in the nuclear plant of Fukusima,” Tigran Sargsyan reminded thanking Yukiya Amano for cooperation and support.
The Prime Minister advised that a nuclear safety board is operational by the President of Armenia which keeps steady focus on safety issues.
The IAEA Director-General said Armenia is an important partner to his agency as it runs a nuclear plant and is going to build a new one. “You are planning to extend the term of operation of the existing plant and decommission it. Our agency has the duty of assisting you throughout this process to ensure a smooth pace of work. I would like to hail your government for inviting experts and publishing their findings for reference of all IAEA-member States,” Yukiya Amano said.
As to the construction of the new nuclear unit, the Director-General of IAEA said that joint efforts should be made to provide for maximum transparency in these activities.
Assuring of Armenia’s interest in it, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to continue working in the spirit a transparency and openness. The head of government advised that a timetable is already out for extension of NPP operations and security measures.
