The 75 Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) will hold the Treaty's Second Extraordinary Meeting and the Organizational Meeting for the Sixth Review Meeting on 27-31 August 2012 in Vienna.

The CNS parties agreed at last year's CNS Review Meeting that they would convene an extraordinary meeting this year to analyse the Fukushima accident. Review meetings are held every three years.

Top meeting officers at the Second Extraordinary Meeting and the Organizational Meeting for the Sixth Review Meeting include:

• President: Li Ganjie, National Nuclear Safety Administration (China);
• Vice-President: William Borchardt, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States); and
• Vice-President: Patrick Majerus, Ministry of Health (Luxembourg).

The Convention entered into force on 24 October 1996 to enhance nuclear safety. Its objectives are to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety worldwide, to establish and maintain effective defences in nuclear installations against potential radiological hazards and to prevent accidents having radiological consequences. There are 75 Contracting Parties to the Convention, and all countries with operating nuclear power plants are now Parties to the Convention.

Press Opportunities

There will be a number of opportunities for the media to cover the Second Extraordinary Meeting and the Organizational Meeting for the Sixth Review Meeting:

• Opening Plenary Session - Overview and Status of Situation in Japan: Monday, 27 August, 10:00-13:00, Boardroom A, M-Building, Vienna International Centre (VIC) - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano will deliver remarks to the opening session, as will Meeting President Li Ganjie.
• Part of the Final Plenary Session: From around 15:30, 31 August, Boardroom A, M-Building, VIC - Media are invited to attend the session during which the Summary Report of the Extraordinary Meeting will be discussed.
• Press Conference: Friday, 31 August, Boardroom A, M-Building, VIC - Extraordinary Meeting Officers Li, Borchardt, and Majerus will hold a Press Conference shortly after the end of the meeting.

Journalists with permanent accreditation to the VIC need no further credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at UNIS Vienna. All others must seek accreditation by contacting the IAEA Press Office; tel: [43-1] 2600-21279 or [43-1] 2600-21273).

For additional information see Convention on Nuclear Safety.