On 20th September 2010, the opening session of the IAEA 54th General Conference has taken place at Vienna, Austria. Attending the Conference are more than 1.400 delegates who are seniors and representatives coming from 151 IAEA member states, international organizations, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and observers from non-IAEA member states. This is the IAEA annual conference in which the program and budget for the following fiscal year as well as resolutions of nuclear security and development would be decided.

Vietnam delegation was led by Dr. Le Dinh Tien, Vice Minister of Vietnam Ministry of Science and Technology. Also accompanying Vietnam delegation are Mr. Nguyen Ba Son - Vietnam Ambassador to IAEA, Dr. Ngo Dang Nhan - Director General of Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS), Mr. Le Doan Phac (MA) - Deputy Director General of Vietnam Atomic Energy Agency, Dr. Bui Van Tuan - Vice Chairman of Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VAEI), representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of Government and staffs from VARANS and VAEI.

The signing ceremony of Arrangement between the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire of the French Republic (ASN) and Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) for the exchange of technical information and cooperation in the regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection has been happening at 11o’clock of the same day. Signing the Arrangement are Mr. André-Claude Lacoste, ASN President of  Dr. Ngo Dang Nhan - Director General of VARANS, and witnessing the ceremony is Vice Minister Le Dinh Tien. This Arrangement signing is the basic to strengthen cooperation between two regulatory bodies, also bring to VARANS opportunities of exchanging information and learning experiences from ASN in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection, as well as enhancing VARANS’s human resource.

Also happening on 20^th September 2010 was the 10 Anniversary of International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano along with speakers from member states have attended and made speeches on achievements of INPRO in the last 10 years.

The Delegation has also taken this chance to meet with other delegates and discuss on issues relating to the atomic energy cooperation.

Meeting with Delegation of Russian Federation (from the left to the right): Dr. Ngo Dang Nhan, Director General of VARANS; Mr. N. Kutin, President of Rostechnadzor; Mr. S. Kirienko, President of Rosatom

According to the conference schedule, Vice Minister Le Dinh Tien will make his speech on 23^rd September 2010, have meetings and discussions with delegations from USA, France, China and IAEA senior officials. During the period of the General Conference from 20 to 24 September 2010, Vietnam Delegation will also attend meetings with Department of Nuclear Security, Department of Technical Cooperation, have negotiation meetings on Vietnam-Japan Agreement and participate in the Regulatory Forum.