“I pay tribute to all victims, including all emergency and recovery operation workers, who were the first to combat the disaster” Kozhara said reminding that millions of people severely suffered from the disaster, which also resulted in large-scale radioactive contamination of vast areas in Europe, most heavily affecting the territories of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Kozhara noted that, “27 years after the incident we are still dealing with the aftermath. It is important to further demonstrate international unity of purpose in overcoming the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster”.

Minister praised the generous aid of donor states to Chornobyl projects that illustrate the ability of global community to successfully work together for the purpose of nuclear safety.      

“Engagement of international community, including OSCE participating States,    facilitates the implementation of Chornobyl projects, in particular on-going construction of a new safe confinement over the destroyed Unit 4” the OSCE Chair added.

He also stressed the importance of the 2005 OSCE Ministerial Declaration on the 20^th Anniversary of the Disaster at the Chernobyl NPP and the 2007 Madrid Declaration on Environment and Security, both defining the role of the OSCE in international co-operation efforts to alleviate the consequences of the Chornobyl accident, as well as 2011 Kyiv Summit Declaration on Save and Innovative Use of Nuclear Energy, reaffirming commitment of participating States to work cooperatively in the area of nuclear safety.

The OSCE Chairperson today visited the International Atomic Energy Agency for meeting with its Director General Yukiya Amano, where issue of Chornobyl disaster was also discussed.