Doc. 9055 2^nd edition

14 May 2001

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Written Declaration No. 319

2^nd edition, originally tabled on 24 April 2001

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

The undersigned, members of the Assembly, address the G7 countries, European Commission, EBRD and Euratom.

      On 26 April 1986 the largest and the most damaging technological disaster in the history of mankind occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine resulting in major humanitarian and environmental consequences. Over 3,5 million residents of Ukraine, including
1,3 million children, suffered from this disaster.

      The complete decommissioning of the last Chernobyl Power Plant Unit on
15 December 2000 confirms that the Government of Ukraine has complied with its obligations undertaken in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ukraine, the G7 countries and the European Commission, signed in 1995. However, five major outstanding problems remain which have to be resolved within the framework of the Memorandum. These problems are as follows:

1.       Putting in operation the compensating capacities (crediting of the projects of the power units construction completion at the Rivne and Khmelnitsky plants),

      2.       Turning the Shelter into an environmentally secure zone,

3.       Settling the social problems which have emerged since the closing down of the Chernobyl Power Plant,

4.       Creating the infrastructure for the safe decommissioning of the Chernobyl Power Plant (allocation of grants for the sum of US $ 640-680 billion),

5.       The need for the allocation of grants to finance the fuel deficit from the moment the decommissioning of Chernobyl Power Plant is complete and before Unit two at the Khmelnitsky and Unit four at the Rivne plants are commissioned.

      The undersigned recommend and hope that the G7 countries, the European Community, European export and import agencies of the western countries will adopt positive decisions concerning the allocation of loans for the solution of the five problems mentioned above which have not been resolved until now within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant signed in Ottawa on
20 December 1995.

Signed : ¹

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Auken, Denmark, UEL

Bársony, Hungary, SOC

Bilovol, Ukraine, EDG

Brunetti, Italy, UEL

Carvalho, Portugal, UEL

Cubreacov, Moldova, EPP/CD

Gostev, Russia, UEL

Hrebenciuc, Romania, SOC

Khunov, Ukraine, UEL

Laakso, Finland, UEL

Manukyan, Armenia, UEL

Marmazov, Ukraine, UEL

Melnikov, Russia, UEL

Mikaelsson, Sweden, UEL

Neguta, Moldova, UEL

Oliynyk, Ukraine, UEL

Popescu, Ukraine, SOC

Postoico, Moldova, UEL

Prisăcaru, Romania, SOC

Ragnarsdóttir, Iceland, EDG

Shakhtakhtinskaya, Azerbaijan, EDG

Vakilov, Azerbaijan, EDG

Sudarenkov, Russia, SOC

_________________

Total = 24

       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

¹