Responding to Challenges of Global Nuclear Cooperation

Dr. ElBaradei cited important achievements in recent years that have strengthened the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. At the same time, he emphasized interrelated challenges that, he said, "illustrate how much remains to be done."

His statement focused on the IAEA’s three main functions in the international arena — as a catalyst for progress in peaceful applications of nuclear technology; as an objective authority on nuclear safety; and as the inspectorate for verifying that safeguarded nuclear materials and activities are not used for military aims.

The Director General opened his statement with an expression of sympathy for the tragedy in the United States: "On behalf of the entire staff of the Agency, I would like to join in extending my heartfelt condolences to the people and Government of the United States and to all others directly affected by a tragedy that befell us all. We pray that they find the strength and faith to cope with their pain and sorrow."

Highlights of the statement follow. The full text is accessible on the IAEA’s WorldAtom Web site, which is providing daily coverage of the General Conference. The Internet address is http://www.iaea.org.

Verification of Nuclear Non-Proliferation. The main challenge for the IAEA is the universal application of its safeguards and verification system, which is a cornerstone of the world’s efforts against the spread of nuclear weapons, he said. A second related challenge is the need to support development of an effective national and international system for the physical protection of nuclear material and the prevention of illicit trafficking, to avoid the risk of nuclear proliferation. The third challenge is the need for accelerated and tangible progress towards nuclear disarmament.

The record of progress has been mixed, he noted.

• In emphasizing the need for universal application of safeguards, he expressed concern over the lack of progress among States in concluding and bringing into force comprehensive safeguards agreements and legal instruments called "additional protocols". Their purpose is to strengthen the IAEA’s verification ability, in particular to detect undeclared nuclear material and activities.
• He pointed out that the IAEA remains ready on short notice to resume its nuclear inspections in Iraq, which along with other UN Security Council-mandated inspections were suspended in December 1998. The present situation, he said, does not enable the IAEA "to provide any assurance that Iraq is in compliance with its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions."
• In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), he said the IAEA is continuing to monitor the "freeze" on facilities under the 1994 Agreed Framework between the United States and DPRK, but that the Agency remains unable to verify the completeness and correctness of the DPRK’s initial 1992 declaration of its nuclear programme. Earlier this year, the IAEA proposed to the DPRK the first "concrete steps" required for the verification process, and affirmed the Agency’s readiness to start implementing these measures as soon as it is permitted to do so.
• He reported continuing progress through the initiative to submit nuclear material released from the military programmes of the United States and Russian Federation to IAEA verification. Talks are now seeking agreement on the scope of the verification measures, the nature of the material subject to verification, and the duration and nature of verification measures under the agreements, he said. (The Director General is meeting this week with the Russian Minister of Atomic Energy and the US Secretary of Energy to take stock of progress and give direction for further work.)
• He pointed towards growing global cooperation to enhance the security of nuclear material, citing the outcome of the first international conference on the security of material earlier this year. Efforts of the IAEA, other organizations, and national authorities are directed at the prevention of potential threats; incidents of theft, sabotage, and illicit trafficking; and enhancement of research and development on techniques for detection and analysis.

Nuclear Technology. Three challenges are influencing future directions in nuclear science and technology, he said. They are the need to encourage innovation in technologies throughout the nuclear fuel cycle for electricity production to meet rising energy demands; the need to demonstrate solutions for activities such as radioactive waste disposal that create confidence about the safety of the entire nuclear fuel cycle; and the need to provide countries with objective and comparative information to enable them to make informed choices about the use of nuclear technologies in all fields in which they are applied.

He reviewed developments in key areas.

• The Agency has launched a forum for greater international cooperation on "innovative" nuclear plants that are designed with new features for safety, economic competitiveness, and effective safeguards against diversion for non-peaceful purposes.
• More progress is being made in several countries toward the demonstration of geological disposal for radioactive waste that must be safely isolated for long time periods.
• In other fields of technical cooperation, the IAEA is working more closely with national, regional, and international partners to assist countries in applying specific and proven nuclear technologies to serve their needs for water, health, and food. Examples include supporting Africa in its intensified campaign to prevent serious diseases and economic losses caused by the devastating tsetse fly; assisting some 40 countries to apply isotope techniques to protect and manage large groundwater resources; and advancing medical capabilities to effectively use radiotherapy for improved cancer care and treatment in developing countries, where cancer cases are rising dramatically.

Nuclear, Radiation and Waste Safety. Challenges in safety and related areas, he said, include the need to keep improving safety "where vulnerability is apparent" while cultivating a stronger global nuclear safety culture; the need to harmonize international safety norms and their application, and to develop regulatory and legislative infrastructures in all countries; the need for transparency of all nuclear activities through mechanisms such as peer reviews and self assessments; and the need to preserve nuclear knowledge and expertise.

He noted efforts to further strengthen the safety regime.

• He commended progress in developing and adopting legally binding norms for enhancing nuclear safety worldwide. But, he said, many States are not yet party to the major conventions; certain key areas of nuclear activity are still not subject to conventions; and some existing conventions are not comprehensive in their coverage. He urged States to give greater consideration to filling the gaps and pledged the Agency’s support of such efforts.
• He noted that the IAEA’s safety standards are being updated, and that new standards are being developed where needed.
• He pointed to the Agency’s development of a new two-track approach to provide an "Integrated Safety Evaluation" of the safety of a country’s overall nuclear programme. This approach would provide nuclear safety profiles which would help both national nuclear authorities and the IAEA identify areas where improvements are most needed and where the Agency’s safety services could do the most good.
• He called for establishing a common international forum to clarify and communicate the precise environmental and health consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl accident, which continues to generate contradictory data and reports that contribute to distrust and confusion, notably in the most heavily affected countries.

Programme and Budget. In reviewing the Agency’s programme and budget, Dr. ElBaradei appealed for "fresh thinking" to address a serious "budgetary gap" adversely affecting core responsibilities. "Many priority activities cannot be implemented, and many programmes suffer from squeezed resources," he said. "In safeguards, for example, the effect of more than a decade of zero real growth budgets has left us increasingly short of essential needs, such as modern equipment and technology." While compromises have been reached to resolve the most pressing immediate budget issues, he said that long-term solutions are needed to ensure that the IAEA is adequately funded to fulfill its mandate.