The joint statement was delivered by the head of the Canadian delegation.
The document records that half a hundred states participating in the 66th IAEA General Conference strongly condemned russia's actions against nuclear facilities in Ukraine and called on russia to immediately stop any interference at Ukrainian nuclear sites.
The statement signatories emphasized that the seizure of Zaporizhzhya NPP by russian troops is the root cause of the current threats to nuclear security and physical protection in Ukraine. As for the power plant itself, it must remain connected to the Ukrainian electricity grid.
«We recall that the risks of nuclear incidents will remain dangerously high as long as the Russian Federation remains present at the ZNPP site. The ZNPP must remain connected to the Ukrainian electricity grid as an integral part of the Ukrainian energy system», the statement says.
Furthermore, the Conference attendees stressed that «any sham referenda conducted by the Russian Federation within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders has no legal or political effect on the status of ZNPP or the areas surrounding the facility».
The Conference participants called on russia to stop endangering the whole world and they «look forward» to the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone at and around the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in a way that protects Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
«We once again call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease all actions against and at nuclear facilities in Ukraine in order for the competent Ukrainian authorities to regain full control over all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to ensure their safe and secure operation, and in order for the IAEA to fully and safely conduct its safeguards verification activities in Ukraine», the joint statement read.
The statement was signed by: Albania, Austria, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay as well as EURATOM.
