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Idea to suspend Russia’s IAEA membership makes no sense, expert says

It is stressed that without Russia’s participation, it is impossible to implement non-proliferation programs

SOFIA, March 16. /TASS/. Poland’s proposal to strip Russia of its rights and privileges in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is illogical, and can only be viewed as a PR stunt by the Polish politician, says Professor Yanko Yanev, CEO of the Nuclear Knowledge Management Institute in Vienna.

"It is not up to Poland to decide on the development and existence of the IAEA. Back in the day, there was a movement to exclude Israel from the agency that went on for years, but it did not happen. Now someone proposing to limit Russia isn’t thinking clearly; that’s their business, let them write things, but it is not they who make decisions, but countries that are members of the organization and are eligible to vote. Such a vote has never happened in the history of the organization, and I doubt that the General Conference will consider such an initiative," Yanev said, adding that Russia is a key player on the nuclear energy market and the main designer of nuclear reactors.

"The proposal to expel Russia is a remarkably stupid step. Russia is a true nuclear state, and not only because of its nuclear power plants, submarines and ice breakers. Russia is a military nuclear power, one of the biggest in the world. Without Russia’s participation, it is impossible to implement non-proliferation programs. Thus, such a proposal to suspend Russia’s IAEA membership is nothing more than a PR stunt by the Polish politician; there is no logic from an international perspective, but there is a failure to understand the importance of the IAEA, which was established in order to preserve nuclear parity in the world," the expert underscored.

On Wednesday, the Minister of Climate and Environment of Poland Anna Moskwa announced that Polish authorities filed an application to vacate Russia’s privileges and rights in the IAEA, stripping it of its reputation as a reliable nuclear partner. On March 14, IAEA Director General Rafael Gross said that limiting Russia’s role in the organization is not within his powers.

Russia is an important member of the IAEA and a member of its Board of Governors - one of its two governing bodies, together with the General Conference.

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Foreign policy IAEA

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