The world’s balanced concern between the need of energy and the safety of nuclear utilization required serious attention, said Foreign Minister Marty M. Natalegawa in a ministerial meeting on “Fortifying Nuclear Safety and Security” at the UN Headquarters, New York, Thursday (Sept 22).
“It is true that every state has the right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. However, the safety principle must continue to be the priority and absolute international cooperation must be done,” the minister said as quoted in a press statement of the foreign affairs ministry here on Saturday.
In his explanation in the “Fortifying Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Hazards Risk Mitigation” session, Minister Marty called for the international community to conduct joint efforts.
“We must avoid accidents and negative consequences from energy utilization; for that cooperation is a necessity,” Marty said in the meeting which was held during the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly. Besides the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Foreign Ministers from Germany, Russia, the UK and the US, were also present as keynote speakers in the meeting.
According to Mary, the first joint effort is to fortify international instruments in mitigation and preparedness of nuclear emergencies.
There is a need to readjust to the present reality with regard to the three main international conventions that were agreed 25 years ago. The three conventions are Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (CENNA), Convention on Assistance in “Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency” (CANARE) and the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS).
Foreign Minister Marty also called for the international community to synergize among relevant international agencies.
“International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) needs to embrace international agencies, such as WHO, FAO and WMO as well as other stakeholders. Development in networking and synergy is the key,” he explained.
Capacity increase in handling nuclear disasters on national and regional levels, as the next effort, needs to be done. The example on ASEAN and Japan’s effort in handling the nuclear disaster in Japan on March 2011 was given.
“ASEAN and Japan will reinforce cooperation of exchange in experiences, training and communication reinforcement during a hazard,” Foreign Minister Marty said.
Indonesia is soon to implement the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).
