Vietnam advocates nuclear non-proliferation
VOV.VN - Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kien, Governor - Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has affirmed the nation’s unwavering policy of backing the non-proliferation of the nuclear weapons towards the complete and thorough nuclear disarmament.
In his speech at a regular meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna on June 5, Ambassador Kien underlined the need to balance the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), thereby promoting the rights of countries to use nuclear energy and technology for peaceful purposes in accordance with international law and NPT obligations.
Kien also emphasized Vietnam’s efforts and achievements in nuclear safeguards, while affirming that the nation always supports IAEA’s role and values technical cooperation programmes, particularly ongoing ones between Vietnam and the IAEA such as the ZODIAC programme and the trilateral project among Vietnam, Laos/Cambodia, and the IAEA. He also suggested the IAEA continue enhancing support for and technical cooperation with Vietnam in this field.
The meeting is set to transpire over the course of one week with a particular focus on reviewing and discussing IAEA's annual, technical cooperation and nuclear safeguard reports, with the aim of reaching consensus on and submitting them to the 67th IAEA General Conference in September.
Other topics of concern will also be touched upon , such as the implementation of nuclear safeguards agreements between IAEA and Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Syria, and emerging security and safety issues at nuclear power plants in Ukraine, and the trilateral security pact between the US, UK and Australia on the hand-over of nuclear-powered submarines (AUKUS).
Vietnam was elected as a member of the IAEA Board of Governors in September, 2021 for the 2021-2023 term.
The agency currently encompasses 35 members, namely Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, South Africa, Japan, Russia, Pakistan, Finland, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Australia, Uruguay, and Vietnam.
The IAEA Board of Governors holds four sessions each year in March, June, September, and November, with the annual IAEA General Conference in September.