VIENNA —
Kyiv and Moscow have shown “signs
that they are interested” in creating a security zone around Europe’s largest
nuclear plant in Ukraine threatened by shelling since Russia invaded its
neighbor, the UN atomic watchdog said Monday.
اضافة اعلان
Shelling around
the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has
raised fears of a nuclear disaster.
The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which
has two experts at the plant since a mission there early this month, has urged
fighting around the facility to stop.
“What we need here really is Ukraine and Russia to
agree on a very simple principle of not attacking or not shelling the plant,”
IAEA director general Rafael Grossi told reporters.
“Basically it’s a commitment that no military action
will include or will imply aiming of course at the plant or a radius that could
be affecting its normal operation. This is what we expect.”
He added both Kyiv and Moscow were “engaging” with
the agency on the issue and asking “lots of questions”.
“I have seen signs that they are interested in this
agreement,” Grossi said after he opened the Vienna-based agency’s regular
35-member Board of Governors meeting.
Kyiv insists Russian forces must withdraw from the
plant, but Grossi said “areas that have to do with larger demilitarization or
movements of troops, none of that is part of my mandate”.
The IAEA Board of Governors meeting this week is
expected to pass a resolution urging Russia “to immediately cease” all actions
against the Zaporizhzhia plant and “any other” nuclear facility in Ukraine so
that “the competent authorities” regain full control, several diplomats told
AFP.
Ukraine said Sunday the sixth and final reactor at
the Zaporizhzhia power station was shut down.
Grossi said the situation was “stable” for now but
warned it was “unsustainable” in the long run if shelling continued.
Both Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each other for the
shelling.
French President Emmanuel Macron asked Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin in a telephone call on Sunday to withdraw Russian
heavy and light weaponry from the plant, according to Macron’s office.
Putin said Russian specialists at the plant were
taking steps to ensure its safety and said Moscow was ready to continue work
with the IAEA to agree on “non-politicized” solutions to problems at the
facility, according to the Kremlin.
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