UKRAINE-CRISIS/NUCLEAR - UN: The UN could facilitate an IAEA visit to Zaporijjia if Russia and Ukraine agree 

NEW YORK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The United Nations is able to help organize an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the Zaporizhia nuclear complex in southern Ukraine, if Moscow and Kyiv give their agreement, announced on Monday the spokesman for the Secretary General of the UN.

Stéphane Dujarric denied the accusations made by certain Russian officials against the United Nations secretariat, according to which the UN had prevented or canceled an IAEA visit to Zaporijjia.

"The United Nations Secretariat has no authority to prevent or cancel the activities of the IAEA," he said in a statement.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Thursday for an immediate halt to military activities near the power plant, the largest in Europe, which Russia seized in March.

Stéphane Dujarric explained that the UN secretariat believed it had the capacity, in terms of logistics and security, to allow an IAEA mission to visit the plant.

He specified that Russia and Ukraine would however have to agree. The two countries said they would like an IAEA mission to go there.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said he was ready to send a mission to Zaporizhia and called on Moscow and Kyiv to cooperate. (Report Michelle Nichols; French version Camille Raynaud)