Kiev (Ukraine), September 7: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday called for the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in southern Ukraine.
"The IAEA is ready to start immediately the consultations leading to the urgent establishment of such a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the ZNPP," the agency said in a report after the visit of its mission to the plant.
There is an urgent need for interim measures to prevent a nuclear accident arising from the physical damage caused by military means, the report said.
Through its mission, the IAEA has established a presence at the power plant to monitor the situation at the site, and to receive direct, fast and reliable information, it said.
In recent weeks, the site of the power plant has been attacked by shelling, which sparked international concerns about the safety of the nuclear facility.
The IAEA mission worked at the plant from Sept. 1 to 5.
According to Ukraine's state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom, two inspectors of the mission would stay at the plant at a permanent basis.
Source: Xinhua
