Vienna: Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Marinos Mousiouttas, held a meeting in Vienna with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of nuclear protection on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus. The Minister, who represented the Republic of Cyprus at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, underlined the importance of closer cooperation with the IAEA and of further promoting Cyprus as a hub for education and expertise in the region.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the meeting also focused on the further strengthening of cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the International Atomic Energy Agency, stressing the importance of utilizing the capabilities of CYCLOPS (Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas and Port Security) in Cyprus as a regional training center of the organization. They also discussed the acceleration of the pending procedures for the completion of the infrastructure intended for the operation of a male mosquito sterilization laboratory, which is a project that the IAEA is promoting in cooperation with the competent authorities in Cyprus. The aim of the project is to control the transmission of infectious diseases.
'The Memorandum is a reliable framework for cooperation between the two sides in the field of nuclear protection', the Minister said. The Conference focused on strengthening international nuclear safety and security of nuclear materials, promoting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the implementation of international safeguard agreements, as well as the utilization of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes.
Participants also discussed issues of international and regional interest related to nuclear safety, preparedness and response to nuclear incidents, as well as the strengthening of international and regional cooperation. The Republic of Cyprus attaches particular importance to nuclear safety issues in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, given its geographical proximity to nuclear facilities in the region, the press release concludes.