Rosatom strengthens cooperation with Russian foreign ministry

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

Russia's ministry of foreign affairs and the country's state nuclear corporation Rosatom yesterday signed an agreement aimed at strengthening their cooperation.

Lavrov (left) and Kirienko announce the agreement (Image: WNN)

The agreement was signed by foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and Rosatom director general Sergey Kirienko during the VII Atomexpo 2015 conference and exhibition in Moscow.

According to the agreement, the two sides will coordinate their efforts to create favourable conditions for the implementation of strategic business projects overseas, and help strengthen Russia's position in the global nuclear power market.

The ministry will provide political support and promote Rosatom's activities in foreign countries to "promote Russian technologies and protect the interests of the national nuclear industry in foreign markets". Rosatom and the ministry plan to develop a coordinated approach to implementation of Russia's obligations under international treaties.

After signing the document, Kirienko said that, in the framework of an existing agreement the two sides signed four years ago, Rosatom already sends representatives to work in embassies and on diplomatic missions on behalf of Russia abroad. "Today's agreement provides new opportunities for cooperation," he said.

"It's perfectly well understood that, in so far as nuclear energy is a global market, it is not a market of single and separate countries. We are working now on all continents, in a huge number of countries, and it is evident from the number of guests here at the forum - 2200 participants - that although only 33 countries have nuclear power plants, the number of countries interested in partnership is growing," Kirienko said.

"Developing countries understand that nuclear energy is a guarantee of long-term, competitive and a reliable supply of electricity for their developing economy. But in addition, most developing countries see nuclear energy not only as a way to get cheap and reliable kilowatt hours of power, but also as an opportunity to develop their economy, education, technology and science."

Kirienko thanked Lavrov for the support that Russian embassies and consulates provide Rosatom abroad.

The newly signed agreement "does not start our cooperation, but creates a framework for its further development", Lavrov said. "This agreement opens new areas of collaboration," he said, "and creates an additional basis to make cooperation more efficient."

Russia's foreign embassies provide Rosatom with the political and diplomatic support it requires to promote advanced Russian technology overseas for the implementation of nuclear power plant construction projects abroad, Lavrov said.

"For our part, we gain a huge contribution from Rosatom's activities to the Russian Federation's inter-political [relations] in that these projects strengthen the foundation of our cooperation with foreign countries, as does the work of Rosatom specialists at international organisations, like the IAEA," he said.

He added that the ministry and Rosatom are working closely within the framework of the IAEA, including on nuclear safety, the strengthening of IAEA safeguards and the promotion of nuclear technology and its peaceful uses.

"We rely on the professionalism of Rosatom experts in our negotiations aimed at ensuring the conditions set out in the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty," Lavrov said. Of special importance is cooperation in fighting against nuclear terrorism, he added.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News