Vietnam actively engages in cooperation to ensure nuclear security

The Vietnamese delegation to the International Conference on Nuclear Security – ICONS 2020 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has called for countries to strictly adhere to obligations in accordance with international law and practices on ensuring security, nuclear safety and marine environmental protection during the process of developing transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs).

Addressing the International Conference on Nuclear Security – ICONS 2020 held in Vienna, Austria from February 10 – 14, Ambassador Le Dung, the permanent representative of Vietnam to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and head of the Vietnamese delegation to the ICONS 2020, highlighted the significance of the process of applying nuclear technology and techniques in agriculture, industry, health care and environmental protection, making practical contributions to economic development and raising living standards in Vietnam.

However, the process also poses many challenges regarding ensuring nuclear security and safety to countries in general and Vietnam in particular.

Ambassador Dung underlined Vietnam’s stance on the full implementation of commitments and obligations under related international documents, especially the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its Amendment document.

Vietnam highly valued the ICONS 2020’s adoption of a Ministerial Declaration on nuclear security right on the first day, and believed that the document will help further promote cooperative activities for nuclear security and safety, the diplomat said.

He took the occasion to present Vietnam’s policies and measures for nuclear security.

Regarding policies, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a national plan of action on responding to chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear risks and incidents for 2019-2025, which completed the legal framework for ministries, sectors and localities in Vietnam to design and enforce appropriate measures to respond to nuclear security incidents.

Besides, the effective cooperation between Vietnam and the IAEA as well as other partners in technology transfer, training and capacity building has enabled Vietnam to carry out a number of activities and develop a contingent of quality specialists in the field of nuclear security.

Ambassador Le Dung called the conference’s attention to new and emerging threats in the field of ensuring nuclear security. One of which is the development of new nuclear technologies, for example transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs). Those transportable nuclear power plants can, on the one hand, help countries solve many social and economic problems such as supplying electricity for remote, isolated areas or border areas and islands; supporting maritime activities in waters with severe weather conditions, but on the other hand, also generate concerns about nuclear security and safety as well as marine environment pollution.

Therefore, Vietnam called on countries to strictly adhere to obligations in accordance with international law and practices on ensuring security, nuclear safety and marine environmental protection during the process of developing transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs).

Ambassador Le Dung addresses the ICONS 2020 (Photo: VietnamPlus) 

Vietnam also urged the IAEA to play the central role in uniting countries and strengthening international frameworks on security and safety in operating transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs).

The International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) is held every two years for countries and relevant organisations to share their views, experience and measures regarding ensuring nuclear security.

At this year’s conference, participating countries passed a Ministerial Declaration which stressed the commitment to maintaining security in all nuclear activities, and promoting the expansion of membership and the effective implementation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its Amendment document. The declaration called on the IAEA to early complete the Nuclear Security Plan for 2022-2025, thus creating conditions for intensifying cooperative activities and measures to cope with threats facing the global nuclear security.

The Vietnamese delegation to the ICONS 2020 comprised of Nguyen Tuan Khai, director of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, and representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Vietnam mission to the IAEA and other international organizations in Vienna./.