UN nuclear watchdog's board sets emergency meeting after Zaporizhzhia attacks
April 10, 20242:36 AM UTCUpdated ago Item
1 of 3 A Russian service member stands guard at a checkpoint near the
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant before the arrival of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission in the course of
Russia-Ukraine conflict outside Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region,
Russian-controlled Ukraine, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander
Ermochenko/File Photo
[1/3]A
Russian service member stands guard at a checkpoint near the
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant before the arrival of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission in the course of
Russia-Ukraine conflict outside Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region,
Russian-controlled Ukraine,... Purchase Licensing Rights VIENNA,
April 9 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog's Board of Governors will
hold an emergency meeting on Thursday at the request of both Ukraine
and Russia to discuss attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,
after the enemies accused each other of drone attacks.
The
International Atomic Energy Agency has said drones struck the
Russian-held facility in southern Ukraine on Sunday, hitting one reactor
building. It has not ascribed blame but has demanded such attacks stop.
Russia said on Tuesday that Ukraine had again attacked the plant with drones, for a
third day. Kyiv said it had nothing to do with any such attacks, and any incidents were staged by Moscow.
Russia
and Ukraine have repeatedly accused one another of targeting
Zaporizhzhia since it was captured by Russian forces in the first weeks
of Moscow's invasion of its neighbour in 2022; both sides deny attacking
it.
All
reactors are shut down at Europe's largest nuclear power station,
located near the Ukraine war's front line, but it requires constant
power to cool the reactors and prevent a potentially catastrophic
meltdown.
In
a confidential note to member states seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the
chairperson of the 35-member IAEA Board said Ukraine and Russia had both
written to him the previous day requesting an extraordinary meeting.
"I
hereby notify the Members of the Board that a meeting of the Board has
been arranged as follows: 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Thursday, 11 April 2024,"
the note said.
Russian
and Ukrainian letters were attached to the chairperson's note. Russia
said it wanted a meeting on "the recent attacks and provocations of the
armed forces of Ukraine" against Zaporizhzhia. Kyiv said it wanted to
discuss "the situation in Ukraine and the safety, security and
safeguards implications".
, opens new tabof
the Board, the Vienna-based IAEA's top decision-making body that meets
several times a year, state that any country on it can call a meeting.
Both Russia and Ukraine are on the Board this year.
A Board meeting would be unlikely to bring clarity as to who was behind recent attacks.
The
Board has passed four resolutions since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022
condemning Russian actions against Ukrainian nuclear facilities. The
most recent was
last month, calling on Russia to withdraw from Zaporizhzhia.
Only
China has joined Russia in opposing those resolutions. Diplomats said
they had not heard of a push for a resolution on Thursday, which would
be more difficult at such short notice.
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Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Andrew Heavens, Philippa Fletcher, Mark Heinrich, Peter Graff