If elected, this would be the third time that Slovenia is on the 35-strong board of governors after its became a full-fledged IAEA member in 1992.

The country became a member of the board of governors in 1997-1999 and then again in 2005-2007. During these two periods, it chaired it twice for a year.

Addressing the 60th IAEA general conference on Tuesday, Slovenian Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič expressed Slovenia's support for the agency and presented the country's positions on IAEA activity.

The ambassador also stressed Slovenia's strong commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and highlighted the need for speeding up joining and implementing all treaties and conventions on the non-proliferation of weapons and disarmament, especially the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

According to the Slovenian permanent mission at the UN, OSCE and other international organisations in Vienna, he also expressed an expectation that Iran would keep implementing all commitments from the July 2015 deal on the Iranian nuclear programme and continue to fully cooperate with the IAEA.

Benedejčič also emphasised the role of programmes of technical cooperation with developing countries as well with the countries which use nuclear energy for energy and industry.

The country pays a lot of attention to nuclear safety; it has thus improved security of its only nuclear power station, NEK Krško, while also making great progress regarding the TRIGA research reactor of the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Benedejčič also told the IAEA that Slovenia continued its efforts to improve responsiveness in emergencies at home and abroad and had organised a one-day regional INEX exercise to that effect.

This year the country hosted a workshop to harmonise the implementation of protective measures during a nuclear accident taking place in several countries.

The workshop was organised by Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA) and Western European Nuclear Regulators' Association (WENRA) in cooperation with the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration.

As for radioactive waste and the treatment of used fuels, Slovenia adopted in April a resolution on the national programme for 2016-2025, and prepared, in line with the convention on nuclear safety, the seventh national report.