UN says it has security capacity to send IAEA team to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informs the media about the Launch of UNHCR's global Statelessness campaign during a press conference. (AP Photo/Keystone,Salvatore Di Nolfi)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informs the media about the Launch of UNHCR's global Statelessness campaign during a press conference. (AP Photo/Keystone,Salvatore Di Nolfi)

Published Sep 2, 2022

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United Nations - The UN is looking to support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to ensure the area remains safe.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday has logistics and security capacity to support any International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from Kyiv if Russia and Ukraine agree.

Guterres made his remarks at a press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lviv.

“In close contact with the IAEA, the UN Secretariat has assessed that we have in Ukraine the logistics and security capacity to support any IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from Kyiv, provided both Russia and Ukraine agree,” Guterres said.

“We must spare no effort to ensure that plant’s facilities or surroundings are not a target of military operations."

He stressed that the facility should not be used for military activities.

“Instead, agreement is urgently needed to re-establish Zaporizhhia as purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area,” the UN chief added.

Sputnik