Appeal to the G7 countries to step up their efforts to finance the work aimed at eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster

Doc. 8722
15 April 2000

Appeal to the G7 countries to step up their efforts to finance the work aimed at eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Rakhansky and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only

the members who have signed it

26 April 2000 will be the 14th anniversary of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. An incident without precedent in terms of its scale and consequences, which affected hundreds of thousands of people and left them fearful of their future, the future of their children and, indeed, the future of entire generations.

This major disaster has proved enormously expensive for the international community, yet we need to spend at least the same amount again if the consequences of the Chernobyl accident are to be totally eradicated.

Ukraine is mindful of its responsibility for the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, and has therefore decided to renounce nuclear weapons.

Although it is going through a period of transition that is proving tough economically speaking, Ukraine is doing everything in its power to eliminate the consequences of the disaster.

Pursuant to the “memorandum on mutual understanding…”, the Ukrainian government has taken a political decision to shut down the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in December 2000. At the same time, it realises that such a move is liable to make the task of supplying electricity to Ukrainian consumers, industry and agriculture even more difficult than it is already.

The problems engendered by the Chernobyl disaster remain unresolved, however, and continue to pose a threat not just to Ukraine but to mankind as a whole.

The Assembly has already asked the G7 countries to step up their efforts to finance the work aimed at eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, in documents 8089 of 22 April 1998 and 8386 of 26 April 1999. But this work is still only at the proposal stage and it is now vital that the international community make a major effort to implement urgent measures as soon as possible.

The Assembly is particularly concerned by the fact that the following problems have still not been resolved:

- “donor” assistance, in the form of a contribution to the Chernobyl “Sarcophagus” fund (US$ 375 million);-

- the parties (ie the West and Ukraine) are not prepared to address social problems;

- the total financing of the project aimed at decommissioning the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (US$486 million);

- financing in the form of organic fuel grants, designed to make up for the lost production capacity of Unit 3 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, pending the commissioning of Khmelnitsky Unit 2;

- financing of the project to complete the construction of Khmelnitsky Unit 2 and Rivne Unit 4.

It is to be hoped that the international organisations and the international community will take further decisive steps to eliminate the consequences of this unprecedented ecological disaster as quickly as possible.

Accordingly, the Assembly asks the G7 governments to provide stable financing for the international programme designed to eliminate the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Signed : ¹

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Duka-Zólyomi, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Fernández Aguilar, Spain, EPP/CD

Jackson, United Kingdom, EDG

Liiv, Estonia, LDR

Luczak, Poland, EPP/CD

Luhtanen, Finland, SOC

Marmazov, Ukraine, UEL

Mattei, France, LDR

Melnikov, Russia, UEL

Ošváth, Slovakia, LDR

Raskinis, Lithuania, EPP/CD

Schmied, Switzerland, LDR

Steolea, Romania, EDG

Strizhko, Ukraine, UEL

Tiuri, Finland, EDG

Wittbrodt, Poland, EPP/CD

¹ SOC: Socialist Group

EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

EDG: European Democratic Group

LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

NR: not registered in a group