Vietnam's nuclear safety council to be set up

Vietnam's national nuclear safety council will be set up following a recent decision made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Under the decision, the council will provide consultancy to the PM to help him and the government settle important issues concerning nuclear safety.

The council will operate for a five-year tenure and work with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). The council will be chaired by the MoST Minister, while working with the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (ARNS).

The council will propose policies concerning nuclear safety to the PM and will create guidelines for working with atomic energy and nuclear power.

The group will also review the ARNS report on the safety analysis of the nuclear power plant and the results from a safety inspection of the plant's nuclear reactor.

The council will discuss operations with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and gather opinions from foreign and domestic scientists and experts on nuclear safety, before any licenses are granted or testing begins.