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Mr. President, Today we adopted an important resolution on the consequences of Chernobyl nuclear disaster, one of the biggest disasters in human history.  Thirty years after the accident we can still witness the long term nature of Chernobyl’s impact, with humanitarian, environmental, social, economic, and health consequences. We appreciate the efforts of the international community to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Solidarity of regional and global partners in the face of such accidents is crucial.  

Solidarity though must be genuine, and go well beyond mere declarations, such as the Minsk declaration mentioned in the resolution we adopted today. Lithuania remains concerned about the construction of a nuclear plant in very close proximity to my country without providing full, reliable and transparent information on many aspects of the project, including on how the requirements of international conventions and nuclear safety standards are respected and implemented, the seismic evaluation of the site, emergency preparedness plans and various other crucial safety aspects.

As we remember the tragedy of Chernobyl, we must once again stress the urgency of doing everything we can to avoid and prevent another nuclear disaster. The lessons of Chernobyl disaster oblige us to develop nuclear technologies in conformity with the spirit and letter of international nuclear safety and security requirements.

We recognise and respect the right of states to develop peaceful nuclear programmes. This, however, should be done keeping in mind the broader context of trans- boundary implications, and in full compliance with the rules and requirements of the IAEA, the UN Espoo Convention and other international and regional bodies.

Confidence building and ensuring maximum safety are crucial for nuclear energy development. Implementation of stress tests, IAEA safety standards, adherence to the Nuclear Safety Convention, cooperation with specialized IAEA missions, including SEED review missions, for the whole nuclear cycle, should be integral parts of each and every nuclear power programme. We call on all countries that develop nuclear energy to implement the highest international nuclear safety and environmental requirements throughout the full nuclear facility cycle in the most comprehensive manner, as it is the only reliable way to avoid and prevent similar disasters in the future.

Thank you.