Director General of IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei also visited from 7-9 December in his tour to a number of Asian countries recently. During this visit ElBaradei met with President Yudhoyono, Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hasan Wirayuda, Minister for Research and Technology, Head of the National Atomic Energy Board (BATAN) Head of the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Board (BAPETEN)  and Members of Parliament, mentioned the release of the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs. 

 The visit discussed closer cooperation between and IAEA, important issues on safeguards and nuclear verification, promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy through reduction of nuclear risks and dangers, increased research of nuclear energy for positive social, economic and environmental improvements to ensure sustainable development. 

IAEA and its General Conference today count 143 member countries, while sits on its Board of Governors for the 2005-2007 period.   

Meanwhile, Sascha Zastiral and Tony Hotland, writing for the Jakarta Post reported that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) welcomed the government's plan to build a nuclear power plant and has offered to help the country ensure it meets safety standards. 

"We will assist so that all safety considerations will be properly addressed," IAEA chief Muhammad El-Baradei said in a lecture to State Ministry of Research and Technology officials Friday. 

El-Baradei underlined the importance of energy security: "In the fight against inequality in the world, energy is essential for development". 

Indonesia plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Muria Peninsula on the northern coast of the province of Central Java , which according to geological experts has the most stable land conditions in the country. However, environmentalists are opposed to the government's planned nuclear-powered power plant because, according to them, the site of the reactor is earthquake-prone. 

The project, which has been discussed and abandoned many times during the past two decades, was last shelved in 1997 amid public protest. However, high oil prices and the country's growing energy demand, have prompted the government's latest plan to begin construction of the plant in 2008, said the Jakarta Post report. If it is built, would not be the first earthquake prone country with a nuclear power plant; has depended on nuclear energy for decades. 

"In regions like Japan, extensive work has been done on safety analysis," El-Baradei said. This analysis could be used when drawing up the precise plans of the Muria reactor. Huge progress in safety had also been made during the past 20 years, El-Baradei said. " Chernobyl was the result of less optimal reactor design, combined with mismanagement." 

International standards had improved when "the IAEA created a network to improve safety performance", he said. 

Public acceptance was key to the success of the Muria project, El-Baradei said. "As with any other technology, nuclear power won't come with an absolute safety guarantee. What is important is that the risks and benefits are clearly understood." The government should provide accurate and easily understood information to improve public understanding of the benefits of nuclear power, he said. 

Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said should open the bidding process for the plant soon if it wanted to meet a 2016 target for the plant to produce electricity. "With this plan, we hope to bring in investments, technology, and long-term fuel contracts," Kusmayanto said. 

He said three locations on the Muria peninsula in Jepara regency had been assessed as the most feasible places to build power plants. 

The minister said the government had signed an agreement with Australia two weeks ago to construct the plant and was seeking more investors. "We have just signed a (document of) strategic intent with south Korea. The President also mentioned the idea when he visited and last week, and we're also eyeing France and South Africa," he said