Ms Sim said that Singapore strongly supports Mr Grossi’s five basic principles for protecting the nuclear plant, including that there should be no attack from or against the plant.
Singapore also supports the agency’s “seven indispensable pillars” for ensuring nuclear safety and security during armed conflict. These include maintaining the “physical integrity” of the facilities and ensuring that all safety and security systems are functional at all times.
“Amid the very troubling and potentially dangerous developments at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, there are several immediate priorities to address,” said Ms Sim.
“First, the IAEA has observed that it continues to be challenging to ensure adequate staffing, routine inspections and maintenance, reliable logistics supply chains, and effective on-site emergency arrangements at the ZNPP.
“These present serious risks to the nuclear safety and security of the plant, and this situation must be immediately rectified.”
Secondly, the drone strikes in April have risked compromising the physical integrity of the nuclear plant.
She noted that mines have been placed in the buffer zone between the nuclear plant’s internal and external fences, and this poses a threat to the safety and security of it.
“We reiterate that the only way to uphold nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP is for all military activity in and around the vicinity of the plant to cease immediately,” said Ms Sim.
The IAEA has not been able to gain “timely and appropriate access” to all areas of nuclear plant.
“This inhibits the agency’s ability to make its assessments and report impartially and objectively on the nuclear safety and security situation at the site,” she said.
She also commended IAEA officials in continuing their work in Ukraine.