Convention of Nuclear Safety delegations adopt Vienna Declaration

Convention of Nuclear Safety (CNS) delegations at an international diplomatic conference unanimously adopted the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety on Thursday without amending the convention.

Ambassador C.S. Eliot Kang, deputy assistant secretary for nuclear affairs at the U.S. State Department of State, said the U.S. “strongly” supports the convention and its capabilities in incorporating “lessons learned," such as those from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, into a safe, well-maintained, modern nuclear future.

“The United States strongly supports the convention and views it as an important instrument for international cooperation,” Kang said. “The guidance that was updated and put into effect in April 2014 incorporates key lessons learned from the Fukushima accident. This ability to immediately update guidance and safety standards without amending the convention makes the convention a modern, relevant  and effective instrument to improve nuclear safety well into the future.”

Kang said the U.S. also fully supports the Vienna declaration as adopted. The declaration contains a series of key principles to further guide countries in areas such as design, site planning and construction of new nuclear power plants.

“We believe the proposed Vienna declaration is an excellent reflection of the consensus among the parties to the convention, and we are ready to support it,” Kang said.