DEPUTY FM LEADS M'SIAN DELEGATION TO NUCLEAR SAFETY CONFERENCE IN VIENNA

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Deputy Foreign Minister Senator
A.Kohilan Pillay is leading a Malaysian delegation to the five-day International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna,
Austria, beginning Monday.

Malaysia is among 151 IAEA member countries at the conference organised
following the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan on March
11, according to a statement from Wisma Putra (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
issued here Monday.

It is also to demonstrate the international community's political support
for the IAEA in leading efforts to strengthen nuclear safety at the
international level.

Besides senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Malaysian delegation
also comprises officers from the Malaysian Nuclear Agency and Atomic Energy
Licensing Board.

The conference is expected to come out with a Ministers Declaration on
measures that can be taken by the international community to strengthen nuclear
safety globally.

After attending the conference, Kohilan will make a three-day working visit
to the Czech Republic from Saturday where he will meet his Czech counterpart
Tomas Dub on enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.

"This meeting is significant as the two countries will commemorate 40 years
of diplomatic relations between them, besides exploring potential areas for
cooperation like green technology and exchanging views on regional and
international issues of concern to both countries," said the statement.

Malaysia has close relations with the republic in various areas including
trade and investment, education, defence and tourism.

In 2010, bilateral trade between Malaysia and the Czech Republic reached
over RM1.09 billion, with exports from Malaysia accounting for RM833.9 million
and imports, RM264.7 million. (US$1=RM3.03)