The Nuclear Security Summit was opened at the working dinner, attended by the leaders of 52 countries and the heads of key international organizations – the United Nations, the EU and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this top-level world forum is to assess the progress made by countries that develop atomic energy in ensuring the security of nuclear infrastructure and materials, to strengthen nuclear security culture and to agree on the continuation of commitments to nuclear security.
The working dinner placed special emphasis on the threat of nuclear terrorism, the possibility of which has increased after the terror attacks in Brussels.
"No state is protected against this threat. If radioactive materials fall into the hands of terrorists, this can have disastrous consequences for all. A very small amount of plutonium is enough to produce a nuclear weapon. Therefore, today the international community stands ready to take the strongest preventive measures," the President said.
According to the Fissile Materials Working Group, which brings together 80 non-governmental organizations working in this field, there are about 2000 tons of poorly protected radioactive materials around the world which can be used to produce a nuclear weapon.
The President pointed out that it was urgent to tighten the accounting, control and protection of radioactive materials, strengthen the safety of nuclear power plants and other civil nuclear facilities, properly combat the smuggling of nuclear materials and the networks of smugglers, exchange intelligence on terrorist networks, and adopt necessary legal acts prohibiting the storage and transportation of radioactive materials.
Dalia Grybauskaitė also underlined that unsafe nuclear power plants and their inappropriate operation posed a threat to human security.
According to the President, the Astravyets nuclear power plant, which is being built in Belarus, only 50 km away from Vilnius, does not comply with international security standards. No independent environmental impact assessment has been conducted, the project is being implemented without any regard to the requirements and obligations set out in international conventions, and the so-called stress tests have not been carried out to determine whether this power plant can function safely under the most unfavorable conditions. The documentation and supervision of construction are not appropriate and non-transparent. Access is denied to IAEA observers and experts.
The President stressed that other countries and international organizations had also expressed their concern about unsafe nuclear power plants. Lithuania, together with other states attending the Nuclear Security Summit, emphasizes a close relationship between nuclear security and safety, and the necessity to ensure effective international measures in the fields of detection, training and prevention.
The Washington summit also discusses restrictions on and control over nuclear weapons. According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, these issues are of special relevance to Lithuania, too. Although there is an agreement on restricting long-range missiles in the world, not all countries cooperate in good faith on restricting medium-range missiles, which are the most dangerous for our region. Therefore, international focus on the control of nuclear weapons is important to stregthen the security of our region.
