Nuclear accidents

Resolution 888 (1988)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 7 October 1987 and 25 January 1988 (16th, 17th and 19th Sittings) (see Doc. 5764, report of the Social and Health Affairs Committee, Doc. 5751, opinion of the Committee on Science and Technology, Doc. 5805, opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities, and Doc. 5769, opinion of the Committee on Agriculture. Text adopted by the Assembly on 25 January 1988 (19th Sitting).

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

1. Having regard to its Recommendation 1068 (1988) on nuclear accidents, and the report and opinions on the subject by the Assembly committees concerned (Docs. 5764, 5751, 5805 and 5769) ;

2. Drawing attention once again to the transfrontier dimension of nuclear accidents ;

3. Considering, accordingly, that close co-operation among all European countries, whether in Eastern or Western Europe, is overwhelmingly important to the safety and well-being of the public ;

4. Encouraged by the fact that the Soviet Union and certain other East European countries are beginning to develop a more open relationship with other countries,

5. Invites the governments of the Soviet Union and other East European countries, and in general the government of every country that uses nuclear energy :

a to accept a moratorium in new construction until international or European standards have been elaborated as regards design, safety and operational rules ;

b to agree on safety standards and operational rules with which all reactors should comply or be brought to comply as soon as possible ;

c to become more closely involved in the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, especially its work on the international inspection and monitoring of nuclear power stations ;

d to ratify and provide resources necessary for the implementation of the Conventions of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and on Assistance in the case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency ;

e to consider consulting neighbouring countries before building nuclear power stations in border areas ;

f to become more closely involved in the work of the World Health Organisation on the effects of radioactivity on human beings, and to co-operate in the exchange of scientific information and epidemiological studies.