Lithuania is ready to keep Belarus informed on situation around possible construction of ground burial place for radioactive wastes :: Charter'97 :: News

Lithuania has expressed its readiness to inform the Belarusian party on the development of the situation around possible construction of a ground burial place for radioactive wastes near the Belarusian state border, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Lithuania Vladimir Garkun told BelTA.

The diplomat has stressed that Belarus is seriously concerned by the possibility of construction of a ground burial place for radioactive wastes near its border. “We can not fail to concern about the choice of the place for storing the spent fuel. The place is located not far away from the national nature reserve the Braslav Lakes and the radioactive wastes threaten to contaminate the water ecosystem of Belarus”, the diplomat said.

According to him, the Belarusian party officially addressed the Lithuanian foreign ministry seeking for clarification. In March the two states held an experts’ meeting touching upon the possible variants of locating this nuclear wastes. The recent consultations between the foreign ministries of the two states, which went off in Polotsk, the Belarusian once again voiced its concern regarding the issue. The parties agreed that Lithuania would keep Belarus informed on the situation around this problem.

The Lithuanian government intends to wind up the Ingalinsk nuclear power plant. In accordance with a plan the station will be completely dismantled in 25 years and construction of the ground burial place will start in the near future on the territory of 40 hectares on the junction of the borders of Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania, some 800 meters away from the national nature reserve the Braslav Lakes.