James Marape has clarified his position on the wastewater dump, saying his support was only for treated and safe discharge. Photo: PNG PM Media
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape has backtracked on his position regarding Japan's proposed dumping of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.
Marape indicated support for the controversial proposal this week, which received major backlash from Papua New Guineans and Pacific climate and nuclear free campaigners.
But when questioned in Parliament on his support for the move by government MP Belden Namah on Thursday, Marape said the statement from his office was "misconceived".
Namah asked the PM to address whether PNG's official position relating nuclear issues had changed as the country is a party to the region's principal nuclear non-proliferation agreement, the Treaty of Rarotonga since 1986.
"My statement was misconceived or misplaced in the sense was there's no unilateral clearance for [Japan] to discharge any nuclear waste," Marape said.
He said PNG's position remains unchanged.
"We subscribe to the entire Rarotonga treaty; we subscribe to all elements of the treaty."
"The discharge of untested, unsafe nuclear waste into our waters, is not something we want in PNG waters or Pacific waters.
Untested, unsafe nuclear waste into our waters is not something we want in PNG or the Pacific waters, he said.
"My statement does not qualify Japan to discharge unsafe [nuclear waste] water."
But he said from a PNG perspective, Japan could only go ahead with its plans if the "test is compliant upon all the global standards and requirements."
"Nuclear is not allowed in our waters. Nuclear is not allowed in the waters of Pacific."
Call for transparency
This week, Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr called on Japan to raise the transparency of the decommissioning process.
According to Japan's state broadcaster NHK, Whipps made the statement on Tuesday in a meeting with Fukushima governor Uchibori Masao, after visiting the Fukushima site.
Pacific Islands Forum, meanwhile, continues dialogue with the Japanese government over the scheduled release of treated nuclear wastewater from the crippled plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is due to release a report on the matter.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has released released a series of reports which point to a favourable finding for the release, according to the Pacific Islands Forum.
The IAEA is due to release its next report on the matter.
The Fukushima Daichii plant has caused a lot of controversy with its plans to dump treated nuclear wastewater. Photo: AFP
