Seventy-two Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) will hold the Treaty's 5th Review Meeting on 4 - 14 April 2011 in Vienna.
The long-scheduled CNS Review Meeting convenes every three years, and this year's top meeting officers include:
- President: Li Ganjie, National Nuclear Safety Administration (China)
- Vice President: William Borchardt, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States)
- Vice President: Patrick Majerus, Ministry of Health (Luxembourg)
The Convention entered into force on 24 October 1996 to enhance nuclear safety. Its objectives are to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety worldwide, to establish and maintain effective defences in nuclear installations against potential radiological hazards, and to prevent accidents having radiological consequences. There are 72 Contracting Parties to the Convention, and all countries with operating nuclear power plants are now Parties to the Convention.
Press Opportunities
There will be a number of opportunities for the media to cover the Review Meeting and an additional side event:
- Opening Plenary Session: Monday, 4 April, 10:00-12:30, Boardroom A, M-Building, Vienna International Centre (VIC) - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano will deliver remarks to the opening session, as will Review Meeting President Li Ganjie.
This session is open to the print media only. Because of insufficient space, cameras will be permitted into the boardroom prior to the meeting and will then be asked to exit the room when the meeting begins. The IAEA will provide pool audio and video of key features of the session.
- Press Conference: Monday, 4 April, after opening of Plenary Session, Press Room, M-Building, VIC - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano will take media questions.
- Side Event: Monday evening, 4 April, Press Room, M-Building, VIC - The IAEA has organized a side event to discuss the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident on the margins of the CNS Review Meeting. The event - scheduled to begin Monday, 4 April, at 18:30 - is not open to the media and will feature officials from Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association, and the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group.
A Press Conference will follow the Side Event in the Press Room.
- Part of the Final Plenary Session: Thursday morning, 14 April, Boardroom A, M-Building, VIC - Print media are invited to attend the portion of the final Plenary Session that addresses and adopts the Review Meeting's Summary Report. A specific time will be announced when more details become available.
- Press Conference: Thursday, 14 April, Press Room, M-Building, VIC - Review Meeting Officers Li, Borchardt, and Majerus will hold a Press Conference soon after the end of the meeting. A specific time will be announced when more details become available.