Mongolian opposition party opposes nuclear waste storage

ULAN BATOR, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's opposition party has expressed concern to President Tsakhia Elbegdorj over recent reports it would accept nuclear waste, local media reported Friday.

In a note sent to the president, the Green Party said it rejected the view that nuclear waste posed no greater threat than coal ash produced by a thermal plant, and if Mongolia became a regional depository for nuclear waste, the security of the Mongolian people would be greatly endangered.

The party also complained that few details had been released on several agreements Mongolia had signed recently with other countries on nuclear energy use.

In May, local media reported Mongolia, the United States and Japan had reached a draft agreement on nuclear fuel production and nuclear waste disposal, in which Mongolia would export uranium fuel to other countries and take the waste in return.

The spent nuclear fuel storage issue has aroused fierce opposition in the country. However, Mongolian government officials have repeatedly denied such reports.


Source:Xinhua News service