A Hungarian delegation headed by the Minister of State for Energy Affairs Pál Kovács, comprising executives and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Development and the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) is attending the 57th Annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held September 16-20, 2013.

In his national statement delivered during the general debate on the annual report of 2012, Pál Kovács first welcomed the re-election of the IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, assuring the IAEA chief of Hungary’s continued support.

Hungary contributed to the fruitful operation of the Technical Cooperation Programme by offering its facilities and expertise. As a sign of acknowledgement of these results the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi was invited by the Agency to chair the International Conference on Nuclear Security held this July in Vienna. 

Relating to the cooperation between institutions of the IAEA and Hungary in the nuclear field, Pál Kovács underlined the role of HAEA and the Centre for Energy Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The measuring, analysis and R&D activities of the experts of these two institutions have efficiently contributed to the efforts of the IAEA to strengthen nuclear safety. Beyond this, Hungary is still interested in the continuation of the international practice established by the Agency in the medical application of isotopes, and often receives students of the IAEA member states interested in knowledge sharing to attend clinical workshops. 

In his address, Pál Kovács mentioned the successful extension of the operational lifetime of Unit 1 at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant as a Hungarian achievement. This facility shall continue to play a significant role in the safe and carbon-dioxide free energy supply of Hungary for another twenty years.  As an important strategic step, he mentioned the inauguration of the in Bátaapáti last December, which is the ultimate disposal site for radioactive waste of low and medium activity.

The use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes significantly contributes to clean energy production and is considered as an indispensable component of the global energy mix, Pál Kovács underlined in his closing remarks.

During the General Conference of the IAEA the Minister of State and Gyula Fichtinger, Director General of HAEA had a meeting with the Chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) Allison M. Macfarlane, with whom they discussed current issues of nuclear energy regulation and aspects of nuclear developments in Hungary and the United States.

(Ministry of National Development, Communications Department)