Bilateral Agreement with Belarus on Chernobyl children signed in Minsk

An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha Preas Ráiteas

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Bilateral Agreement with Belarus on Chernobyl children signed in Minsk

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D., has welcomed the signature in Minsk today of an Agreement between Belarus and Ireland on the conditions of rest and recuperation of children from Belarus. The Agreement was signed on behalf of Ireland by our Ambassador to Belarus, Mr. Justin Harman.

"I am delighted that this agreement allowing Chernobyl children from Belarus to continue to travel freely to Ireland has been signed today in Minsk by both Governments. This agreement follows months of detailed consultations and negotiations and represents a very positive outcome. I want to thank all those involved on both sides for bringing this matter to a successful conclusion."

"I am very much aware of the tremendous contribution of Irish charities over the past 17 years to assisting Chernobyl children and am I very pleased that this agreement will facilitate their ongoing work."Background

Ireland has a 17-year long record of successful visits by Chernobyl children to host families throughout the country. Approximately 180 children travel at Christmas, while as many as 2,500 travel for a summer holiday. Following an incident where a Chernobyl child failed to return from a recuperative visit to the US in August, Belarus approached host countries looking for new arrangements to be put in place for such visits. Since early September, negotiations have been ongoing between Ireland and Belarus on a treaty to regulate these visits. An agreement was initialed on 8 December and signed today following the completion of Belarusian procedures.

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23rd February 2009

Press Office