IAEA head urges nations to utilize action plan for nuclear safety

Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said here Tuesday that a new global action plan for nuclear safety created by his organization must be utilized by nations. "The action plan represents a significant step forward," he said. "It is vital that it is fully implemented in all countries with nuclear power and that the right lessons are learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident." Amano made the statement as he addressed the UN General Assembly during a meeting on the IAEA's latest report. The plan was adopted in the aftermath of the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. An earthquake and tsunami caused damages to the plant and prompted radiation leaks. "The IAEA has been doing everything it can to help Japan bring the situation at the site under control and to mitigate the consequences of the accident," said Amano. The 12-point IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, was endorsed in September by the 151 member states of the IAEA at the group's General Conference. One part of the plan, said Amano, consists of an agreement that all countries with nuclear power capabilities will conduct so- called "stress tests" of their power plants. "The framework for expert peer review by the IAEA of operational safety at nuclear power plants is being strengthened," he said. "The effectiveness of national and international emergency preparedness and response arrangements, IAEA safety standards, and relevant international conventions will also be reviewed." According to Amano, the IAEA is ready to take the lead in the global nuclear safety regime. "Nuclear safety is the responsibility of individual countries, but the IAEA -- the only international organization with expertise in all aspects of nuclear energy -- will play the leading role in shaping a safer nuclear future throughout the world," he said.