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Statements in International Organisations

04.06.2008

IAEA - Board of Governors: The Safeguards Implementation Report for 2007 (Vienna)

Statement of the Republic of Slovenia on behalf of the European Union by mr. Bojan Bertoncelj, Chargé d`Affaires for Multilateral Affairs, Permanent Mission of Slovenia

Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia  and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, the EFTA countries Iceland an Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, associate themselves with this statement.

 

Mr Chairman,

2. As we examine today the Safeguards Implementation Report for 2007, contained in document GOV/2008/14, the European Union would like to express its appreciation for the Agency's dedication and commitment to worldwide efforts and actions to strengthen the international safeguards system.

3. The EU strongly supports strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the IAEA's safeguards system. The EU is of the firm view that the IAEA Additional Protocol together with a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement is the current safeguard standard. We believe that the universalisation of the Additional Protocol would strengthen the international non-proliferation regime and would contribute to the security of all states. In addition, it would greatly increase the confidence necessary for international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

4. The EU is pleased to note that the Safeguards Statement for 2007 contains the conclusion that in all States with a comprehensive safeguards agreement in force declared nuclear material had remained in peaceful activities.

5. In this context the EU welcomes the information that the Agency was able to conclude for the Republic of Korea that all nuclear material remained in peaceful activities.

6. The EU welcomes the fact that for the first time there are now more states with a Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement and Additional Protocol in force than states with a CSA but no AP in force. The EU regrets that, as of the end of 2007, 30 non-nuclear-weapon states party to the NPT had not yet brought a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement into force and that there are still 106 States without an Additional Protocol in force. The EU therefore encourages all states to sign, ratify and implement an Additional Protocol and to undertake the necessary steps to bring a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement into force without delay.

7. The EU welcomes the progress made in the implementation of integrated safeguards. During the year 2007 in many EU countries integrated safeguards were already implemented. As the IAEA broader conclusion is drawn or close to be drawn also for the other States, it is expected that all EU member States will be ready for the implementation of Integrated Safeguards in 2008. In this context the progress made by the European Commission and the IAEA secretariat in agreeing common working arrangements under Integrated Safeguards is welcomed.

8. Concerning the Small Quantities Protocol, the EU urges all states with SQP's, not yet having done so, to bring their SQP into line with the modified version, in order to reinforce the Safeguards System.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

 

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Date: 05.06.2008