On the participation of Belarus' delegation in the interim meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention in Geneva
06.02.2019On February 5-7, 2019, Geneva hosts the Interim Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) in which the delegation of Belarus headed by Ms. Iya Malkina, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, is taking part. The Belarusian delegation includes Deputy Minister of Energy of Belarus Mr. Mikhail Mikhadyuk, Permanent Representative of Belarus in Geneva Mr. Yury Ambrazevich, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Permanent Mission of Belarus in Geneva.
The Meeting of the Parties is considering draft decisions related to compliance by the parties to the Espoo Convention.
For reference: the Espoo Convention defines the obligations of the Parties related to environmental impact assessment in the early stages of project planning. It contains the general obligations of States to notify and consult each other on all major projects, when they are under consideration, which could have a significant impact on the environment beyond the territorial boundaries. The Convention entered into force on September 10, 1997.
The Belarusian delegation informed the participants of the Forum about the measures on ensuring the safety of the nuclear power plant being built in Ostrovets, including the steps taken by the Government of Belarus to cooperate with the IAEA, the results of the work of the assessment missions of this organization in Belarus, as well as cooperation on this topic with the European Union.
Taking into account the consideration by the Meeting of the Parties of the Lithuanian complaint regarding the procedure for the implementation of the Belarusian NPP project, the delegation of Belarus stressed that the Ostrovets nuclear power plant is being built and will give the first talk in strict accordance with the national legislation and international obligations of Belarus. The delegation pointed out the inadmissibility of political manipulation of the instruments of the Convention which ultimately leads to a breakdown of its integrity and international authority. Once again the Lithuanian side was offered a set of possible joint steps and actions that would allow official Vilnius to abandon the practice of complaints to international structures and return to a direct dialogue.
