Macron Says Respectful Dialogue With Russia Can Be 'Useful' As In Case Of ZNPP

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2022) French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview that he considers having a respectful dialogue with Russia useful as it has been in the case with sending an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine.

"It's always more efficient to be respectful and to try to find a way forward when you have this discussion. I think it is useful, because, for instance, thanks to this dialogue (with Russia), we managed to organize this mission with the international agency (IAEA) to go to the nuclear plant of Zaporizhzhia to have an independent mission," Macron told CNN on Thursday.

Macron added that he is hopeful that an agreement to demilitarize the ZNPP is being finalized now to ensure there are no weapons in the area around the plant.

On Wednesday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that the agency along with representatives of Russia, Ukraine, and other partners is already working on the very concrete aspects that would be required to establish a demilitarized zone around the ZNPP. He also said that IAEA will enlarge the size of its mission at the ZNPP in the next few days.