Mr. Chairman,

Ukraine supports activities of the IAEA in promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We positively view the IAEA’s activities in all main statutory areas: nuclear safety and security, nuclear science, technology and applications, safeguards and nuclear verification. The Agency contributes significantly to achievement of global development goals.

We acknowledge the central role of the Agency in strengthening the global nuclear safety framework. Accidents at the Chernobyl NPP and Fukushima Daiichi NPP triggered the revision of international nuclear safety standards to ensure the highest level of nuclear, waste and radiation safety worldwide. We are convinced that the use and further development of nuclear power should be undertaken in strict compliance with the safety norms and regulations. Ukraine fully shares this approach having 15 operating nuclear power units - one on the largest nuclear power programme in Europe.

Presently, all Ukrainian NPPs operate in a regular mode. Ukraine fully complies with the obligations undertaken by the Convention on Nuclear Safety and Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, which was proved by the results of the Fifth Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties of the Joint Convention held in May 2015.

Mr. Chairman,

We reiterate our strong support for the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). Ukraine values its role in the responsible development of peaceful applications of nuclear technology in the areas of human health, food and agriculture, water management, strengthening nuclear and radiation safety. The TCP serves as a powerful tool for exchange of nuclear knowledge and capacity building in member states.

The IAEA regional and national technical cooperation projects have significantly contributed to nuclear safety and improving an overall effectiveness of peaceful use of nuclear energy in Ukraine. During 2014-2015 Ukraine implemented a number of the IAEA projects in such areas as supporting radioactive waste management and nuclear power plant decommissioning, developing decontamination, recultivation and reconstruction infrastructure for existing uranium mines and former uranium production facilities, defining safety goals and regulatory strategies for new build and long term operation nuclear power plants and strengthening of a secondary standards dosimetry laboratory for radiation therapy dosimetry.

We continue supporting ongoing regional projects for Europe aimed at supporting the return to normal radiological environment conditions for the territories affected by the Chernobyl accident and supporting decommissioning and waste management for the Chernobyl, Ignalina and A1 Nuclear Power Plants. Ukraine stands ready to actively cooperate with the Agency for the next TCP project cycle for 2016-2017.

Mr. Chairman,

Ukraine highly appreciates the work of the Agency in preparation of the Report by the IAEA Director General “The Fukushima Daiichi Accident”, which presents an authoritative, factual and balanced assessment, addressing the causes and consequences of the accident, as well as lessons learned.

The competent authorities of Ukraine carefully considered conclusions and proposals contained in the Report. We fully share the conclusion made by the Agency on the necessity to re-evaluate on a periodic basis the safety of nuclear power plants, considering advances in knowledge and necessary corrective actions or compensatory measures to be implemented promptly by the IAEA member-states.

We are convinced that the practical experience and the knowledge, acquired during the preparation of this Report, will contribute to the strengthening of the international nuclear safety regime, in particular in those countries, which use the nuclear energy.

Mr. Chairman,

Ukraine recognizes the Agency’s leading role in the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The IAEA safeguards are a set of technical measures that allow the IAEA to independently verify a State’s legal commitment to use nuclear material and facilities only for peaceful purposes. In this regard, we continue to call upon all states to adopt the IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreement and the additional protocol. We reconfirm our support for the activities of the Agency aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the safeguards system, and welcome the efforts of the Agency with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to military purposes.

Ukraine does not recognize illegitimately proclaimed «Republic of Crimea» and its illegal annexation by the Russian Federation as a constituent entity. By adopting UN General Assembly Resolution “Territorial integrity of Ukraine” 68/262 of 27 March 2014 the United Nations reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. The UN General Assembly also called on all States, international organizations and specialized agencies not to recognize, either directly or indirectly, any alterations of the status of the AutonomousRepublic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

 Ukraine retains jurisdiction over all nuclear facilities and materials, including the research reactor IR-100 and other nuclear facilities of the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry, which are the property of Ukraine and presently located on the temporarily occupied territory.

Provisions of the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1995 and Additional protocol thereto of 2000 remain fully effective and apply to the nuclear facilities and materials in Ukraine, including those located on the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. In this regard, Ukraine supports the position of the UN Legal Counsel, which provided the guidance to the Legal Advisors of the UN System in full compliance with the UN General Assembly resolution «Territorial integrity of Ukraine» of 27 March 2014 A/RES/68/262 by stating, inter alia, that «treaties to which Ukraine is a party remain applicable to the entire territory of Ukraine, including Crimea».

Ukraine welcomes the Agency’s principled position to continue to implement safeguards in Ukraine in accordance with Ukraine`s comprehensive safeguards agreement and additional protocol thereto, and consequently all facilities and nuclear material in Crimea continue to be covered by the CSA and AP between Ukraine and the Agency as it was stated by the Director of the Office of Legal Affairs of the IAEA Secretariat on 10 June 2015 and in the respective Note Verbale of the IAEA Secretariat as of 22 September 2014.

Ukraine welcomes the Secretariat’s conclusion contained in the Safeguards Implementation Report for 2014 (SIR) that it had found no indication of the diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and no indication of undeclared nuclear material or activities in Ukraine. By confirming the “broad conclusion” for Ukraine, the IAEA Secretariat once again stressed that the IAEA safeguards apply to all nuclear material located on the whole territory of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in accordance with Ukraine’s Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto.

The IAEA did not undertake on-site verification activity in 2014 at the IR-100 research reactor and subcritical uranium-water assembly located at the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry of Ukraine because of the external aggression of the neighboring state, which resulted in the illegal occupation and annexation of the integral part of Ukraine’s territory by the Russian Federation.

We call on the Russian Federation to return to the tenets of international law and reverse the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. This will provide an appropriate access for the IAEA to nuclear facilities and material of Ukraine under the Ukraine’s safeguards agreement.

Ukraine fully supports the draft resolution on Report of the IAEA which was initially prepared by the Agency Secretariat. It was elaborated in a factual and unbiased manner based on the IAEA Statute and the Agreement governing the relationship between the UN and the Agency.

In conclusion, I would like to join the already expressed support for the document "Annual Report for 2014" and express high appreciation of the efforts of the IAEA Director General Mr. Yukiya Amano and the Agency's Secretariat in encouraging and assisting the development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses.

Thank you,  Mr. Chairman.