DATE=4/9/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-195472
TITLE=I-A-E-A / CHERNOBYL (L ONLY)
BYLINE=WAYNE COREY
DATELINE=VIENNA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  DELEGATES FROM MANY COUNTRIES ARE ATTENDING A CONFERENCE 
ON THE WORLD'S WORST NUCLEAR ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL 10-YEARS AGO 
IN UKRAINE.  V-O-A'S WAYNE COREY REPORTS FROM VIENNA, THE 
UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS COMMITTED TO CLOSING THE 
CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WITHIN FOUR-YEARS IF IT RECEIVES 
ENOUGH INTERNATIONAL AID TO DO SO. 

TEXT:  THE FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE BEGAN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO 
HONOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE EXPLOSION AT CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR 
REACTOR AND BY THE RADIOACTIVE LEAK THAT FOLLOWED.

THE ACCIDENT ON APRIL 26TH, 1986, EXPOSED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN 
UKRAINE, BELARUS, AND RUSSIA TO RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT.  THOUSANDS 
OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD HEALTH PROBLEMS LINKED TO THE DISASTER.

UKRAINE'S PRIME MINISTER, YEVHEN MARCHUK, TOLD THE CONFERENCE  
HIS GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO CLOSE THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
WITHIN FOUR YEARS.

BUT, HE SAYS UKRAINE CANNOT DO IT ALONE.  HE SAYS UKRAINE HAS 
STILL NOT RECEIVED ADEQUATE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

THE SEVEN LEADING WESTERN INDUSTRIAL NATIONS HAVE RAISED THEIR 
OFFER OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO MORE THAN THREE-BILLION DOLLARS.  
THE HIGHER OFFER APPEARS TO REFLECT GROWING CONCERN RADIATION 
COULD LEAK FROM CHERNOBYL AGAIN.

AT A MEETING IN VIENNA LAST WEEK, NUCLEAR EXPERTS WARNED THE 
CONCRETE SARCOPHAGUS THAT ENCLOSES THE DAMAGED REACTOR AT 
CHERNOBYL IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING.  THE EXPERTS ALSO WARNED 
THE WATER TABLE BENEATH THE REACTOR COULD BE CONTAMINATED.

THIS IS SAID TO HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.  EXPERTS NOW SAY 
RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES FROM CHERNOBYL HAVE APPEARED IN UKRAINE'S 
WATERWAYS.

THE CONFERENCE ON CHERNOBYL IS SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL 
ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, AND THE WORLD 
HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

IN MARCH, A SIMILAR CONFERENCE IN MINSK WAS TOLD THE NUMBER OF 
CANCER CASES ATTRIBUTED TO THE DISASTER AT CHERNOBYL WILL PEAK IN
ABOUT NINE YEARS.   (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/JWH/RAE

09-Apr-96 10:54 AM EDT (1454 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.