Solomon Islands Government has declared its ongoing concern about the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report endorsing Japan’s plan to release radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. It joins other Pacific regional governments in calling on Tokyo for a deferral.
A statement issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that, “Solomon Islands Government remains concerned about the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report which endorses Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant accident into the Pacific Ocean.
The statement said there was ongoing dialogue with Japan via the Pacific Islands Forum panel of scientists and experts to look at the science of Japan’s proposed discharge of the treated nuclear contaminated water and therefore Solomon Islands continues to join the region in calling on Japan to defer its decision to dump radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.
“The Pacific has been used as a testing and dumping ground for nuclear weapons and nuclear waste as the Solomon Islands is and remains a nuclear free state and party to the 1985 Rarotonga Treaty,” the statement said.
It added that Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, at the 2022 United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York, reiterated Honiara’s concern on the proposal by Japan to discharge radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean because of potential transboundary and intergenerational implications.
Solomon Islands joins other countries in the Blue Pacific Continent who are signatories of the Rarotonga Treaty to maintain a nuclear- free Pacific.
“The Solomon Islands position on the issue is in unison with the Communique of the 2022, 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, particularly, paragraphs 48.
“Leaders reiterated their strong concerns for the significance of the potential threat of nuclear contamination to the health and security of the Blue Pacific, its people and prospects, and reaffirmed the importance of ensuring international consultation, international law, and independent and verifiable scientific assessments as per the PALM9 Declaration.
“Solomon Islands continues to rely on Pacific Islands Forum scientists to assess the IAEA’s report,” the statement said.
SOURCE: SOLOMON STAR/PACNEWS
