MOSCOW, September 18 (RIA Novosti) - The creation of international nuclear fuel centers would ensure non-discriminatory access to nuclear energy, the Russian president said Monday.

The Kremlin press office quoted Vladimir Putin as saying in a greeting message sent to participants of the 50th International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna, that the further improvement of the global nuclear energy infrastructure, under the supervision of the IAEA, will boost nuclear security.

President Putin announced the initiative to set up international centers offering nuclear fuel services in January. The president said Russia and other "nuclear club" countries could set up enrichment centers, providing access on a non-discriminatory basis to nations seeking nuclear fuel.

In his message to the 140-nation IAEA conference, which is focusing on means of reducing the threat of nuclear proliferation, the president said Russia always supported the work of the IAEA. He said he was confident the organization will continue to make a major contribution towards developing the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and will actively support the development and implementation of environmentally safe, economically efficient nuclear technology to satisfy the growing global demand for energy.