FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
United States Welcomes Invitation for Russia to Join the Nuclear Energy Agency
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
May 23, 2012
Today, Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at a ceremony hosted by its parent body, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Russia requested membership in the NEA, which is a leading intergovernmental authority for fostering nuclear safety and nuclear energy collaboration. The United States fully supports Russian membership, and looks forward to working with Russia in this area for the mutual benefit of all members. With its accession, Russia will bring its experience and focus on diverse nuclear energy technologies and approaches to the NEA.
The ceremony marking the invitation to Russia comes amidst the OECD’s yearly meeting of ministers and other high ranking officials from around the world. Ambassador Karen Kornbluh, U.S. Permanent Representative to the OECD, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Robert Hormats attended the ceremony on behalf of the United States. Russia is currently in the process of accession to the OECD.
The 30-member NEA is a specialized agency within the OECD. The NEA assists its member countries in maintaining and further developing the scientific, technological and legal bases required for a safe, environmentally friendly and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It provides authoritative assessments and works to forge common understandings on key issues as input to government decisions on nuclear energy policy and to broader OECD policy analyses in areas such as energy and sustainable development.
