Vladimir Zhidkikh, member of Federation Council Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy

– The adoption of this amendment will allow further improving global nuclear safety system

On July 11 the Federation Council of the Russian Federation ratified the law “On the Adoption of the Amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.”

This is a very serious document, a document of international geo-political importance. The adoption of this amendment will allow further improving the global nuclear safety system.

The amendment sets a firm legislative basis for international cooperation in working out effective measures of physical protection of nuclear material. The key goal of the amendment is to implement the tasks of the international community for guaranteeing international peace and security by enhancing responsibility and improving state control in the field of nuclear safety. The key task is to prevent nuclear terrorism.

The amendment covers not only nuclear materials but nuclear facilities inside the territories of the signatory-states and storage and transportation of nuclear material.

One of the key points of the amendment is the ban on the use of any political motives for evading responsibility for the physical safety of nuclear materials. In fact, the amendment sets forth the principle “aut dedere aut judicare” (extradite or prosecute).

The adoption of the Amendment does not imply changes in Russia’s current legislation as the country already has laws stipulating such measures.

The adopted law refers to nuclear materials and nuclear facilities used for exclusively peaceful purposes.

This is a very important document and the Federation Council has approved it unanimously.