DUSHANBE, June 28, 2013, Asia-Plus /Avaz Yuldoshev/ -- Minister of Energy and Industry, Gul Sherali, heading a Tajik delegation is participating in the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century that is taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under support of the Government of the Russian Federation, the conference kicked off on June 27 and will last till June 29.

The Ministry of Energy and Industry (MoEI) Secretariat says that in a statement delivered at the conference, Gul Sherali drew attention of those present to problems of peaceful use of nuclear power and analysis of its impact on the environment.

The conference has reportedly provided an opportunity to take stock of, and discuss, at a high ministerial and international experts’ level: 1) the role and viability of nuclear power in sustainable development, including climate change mitigation, and in meeting the growing global requirements for electricity; and 2) the status and prospects of nuclear power for the future, including the importance of nuclear safety and security as necessary prerequisites for nuclear power, as well as different technical aspects involved in the development of nuclear power.

According to IAEA’s website, the conference has consisted of a plenary session, at which national statements have been delivered and penal sessions with presentations and round-table discussions among internationally recognized experts.

On sidelines of the conference, Gul Sherali held talks with Sergey Kiriyenko, head of Russia’s state-controlled nuclear power corporation Rosatom to discuss cooperation issues.

Tajikistan joined the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November 1, 2001.