MINSK, Belarus, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he supports nuclear power.

The construction of a modern and reliable nuclear power plant will guarantee the provision of the country with cheaper electricity, Lukashenka said, Belapan news agency reported.

According to Lukashenka, construction of a nuclear power plant could make it possible to reduce Belarus's needs in imported energy resources by almost one-third.

Lukashenka also stressed that Belarus is a country with an open economy and that it trades with more than 170 states in the world.

"The economy makes us look for new sales markets for goods, preserve the traditional ones and look for new resources to secure the production cycle," he said.

Using nuclear power plants is a profitable and safe matter, he said, citing the experience of France, where nuclear power plants generate more than 80 percent of electricity.

"Our opponents are trying to gain political dividends by speculating on radiophobia of some Belarusian citizens. They deliberately keep silent about the fact that modern nuclear power plants exceed the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in terms of reliability by several hundred percent. Moreover, they cause less harm to the environment than heat and power plants," Lukashenka said.