The new IAEA Director General plans to visit Kazakhstan for the official launch of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank

A meeting between the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to International Organizations in Vienna KairatSarybay and the new Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who took office on 1January 2020,took place in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A number of issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed, first of all, the start of the operation of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank (LEU Bank) in Kazakhstan and the holding of its official launch ceremony this year.

R.Grossi regarded the establishment of the IAEA LEU Bank in Kazakhstan as the most important project in the history of the Agency, both unique and without precedent. He emphasized that by establishing the Bank the International Atomic Energy Agency “has firmly linked itself to Kazakhstan, which is always at the centre of non-proliferation processes”. The IAEA Director General praised the leadership role of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev, thanks to the initiative of whom this project became possible. R.Grossi expressed his willingness to personally come to Kazakhstan to participate in the opening ceremony of the Bank.

R.Grossi expressed the hope that during his trip to Kazakhstan he will have the opportunity to meet with the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan –Leader of NationN.Nazarbayev and with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev, whom he highly respects and personally knows from his work at the UN, where K.Tokayev served as Under Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva during the years 2011-2013.