Vienna Chapter
Mr. Chairman,
1. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China I would like to thank the
Director-General for his very informative introductory remarks on the main
issues to be considered at the present Session of the Board. I also extend
the Group's appreciation to the Secretariat for the elaboration of
document GOV/2002/16, which contains the Annual Report for 2001.
Mr. Chairman,
2. The Group of 77 and China welcomes the importance given to the
area of technology in the Annual Report. The Section on Technology
highlights various components that have direct relevance to the
sustainable development of a large number of the Group's countries. The
Group notes with appreciation the positive trends in nuclear power,
nuclear fuel cycle and waste management, as well as the progress made by
the concerned Member States in promoting innovative concepts in nuclear
techniques. In this regard the progress made by the INPRO project deserves
appreciation.
3. In non-power areas, the efforts made in relation to important
fields such as sterile insect techniques, food irradiation, nutrition and
isotope hydrology will indeed have a significant impact on the
socio-economic uplift of the developing countries. These applications are
illustrated with concrete examples and associated data which provide
useful information and helps Member States in planning their future
national activities.
4. The most important aspect in promoting sustainable development has
been dealt with under the caption 'technology transfer'. The Group of 77
and China is particularly interested in this aspect in view of the fact
that the adequacy of technology transfer from the industrially advanced
countries to the developing countries can still be improved.
5. In this regard the Group notes with concern that the allocations
corresponding to nuclear power, nuclear fuel cycle and waste management
technology, and marine environment represent merely 5%, 4% and 7%
respectively, of total disbursements. Similarly, a low figure of 7%
corresponds to spending for capacity building, which is certainly not a
promising figure. In this regard, the Group believes that more CRPs and a
well planned program for improving academic qualifications of young
nuclear scientists and engineers in developing countries is a very
important tool to foster effective technology transfer and the
preservation of knowledge. The Group's countries are willing to work with
more advanced Member States of the IAEA, under the auspices of the Agency,
to achieve this prime objective.
Mr. Chairman,
6. In relation to nuclear, radiation and radioactive nuclear waste
safety issues, the Group of 77 and China welcomes the achievements reached
under the leadership of the IAEA to establish standards of safety and to
provide for their application through technology transfer, promotion of
education and training, rendering of services, fostering of information
exchange and coordinating research and development.
7. With regard to the safe transport of radioactive material, the
Group believes that the report does not accurately reflect the activities
carried out by the Agency in this field, as mandated by the Agency's 2001
Program and Budget and approved by resolution GC(44)/RES/6. In this
connection, even though the excerpt of a CRP included in the Report is
useful as an assessment tool, the Group considers that this part of the
Report can be improved, so as to reflect the efforts by the Secretariat in
order to encourage the promotion of greater global safety, especially in
what concerns the safe transport of radioactive material.
8. Having in mind the fact that the promotion of a global safety
culture provides support for all peaceful applications of nuclear energy,
inasmuch it allays public concerns, the Group of 77 and China is convinced
that, besides the adoption of legally binding instruments and safety
standards, there is still much to do to address safety and
security-related issues such as information exchange, liability and
emergency preparedness. The Group thus reaffirms its disposition to
continue to work constructively in this field.
Mr. Chairman,
9. The Group of 77 and China takes notes that in 2001 the Agency
continued to apply its safeguards system with a view to providing the
international community with the assurance that States are complying with
their respective safeguards commitments.
10. In this context, the Group considers that, besides the efforts
towards greater effectiveness, further efforts should be undertaken by the
Secretariat so as to improve the cost-efficiency of the Agency's
safeguards system.
11. In relation to the references to the three 'pillars' of the
Agency as 'technology, safety and verification and security', which appear
several times in the Annual Report, the Group of 77 and China would like
to offer the following comments:
12. In the first place, the Group would like to recall that,
according to the Statute, the Agency's two basic objectives are the
promotion and verification of the peaceful uses of atomic energy.
13. Bearing in mind the provisions of the Statute, as well as the
grouping of the Agency's activities in three main areas, the Group of 77
and China considers that the change introduced in the Annual Report in
relation to the verification pillar with the addition of the word security
to qualify it is not appropriate. In this respect, the Group considers
that further elaboration of the names of the existing pillars may affect
the delicate balance between the promotional and verification objectives
of the Agency.
14. Consequently, and notwithstanding the importance attached by the
Group to the Agency's security-related activities, the Group strongly
believes that the titles of the existing pillars should remain unchanged,
without any amendments, and requests that the Secretariat modifies the
Annual Report accordingly, taking this request into account also in
respect of the future.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The Group of 77 and China would like to commend the Secretariat
for producing document GOV/2002/19, which contains the Technical
Cooperation Report for 2001, as well as the supplement thereto. Both the
format and distribution of important topics under the main headings of
strengthening Technical Cooperation activities major achievements and
costs involved are praiseworthy. The supplement is also well presented,
with adequate financial data, and provides a good understanding of the
overall Technical Cooperation activities during the year 2001.
Mr. Chairman,
2. The Group of 77 and China has always been deeply interested in the
Technical Cooperation activities of the Agency as a means to help promote
sustainable socio-economic development in Member States. In this respect,
the Group is conscious of the fact that benefits of transfer of technology
to developing Member States for peaceful applications of nuclear energy
are reaching well to the recipient countries, as described in Part II of
the present Report. The important progress made in 2001 in the thematic
areas of partnership building, self-reliance of institutions and the
making of the Technical Cooperation Program better known is indeed very
encouraging for future years.
3. In this connection, the Group believes that the promotional areas
covered under the Report for 2001 and those that will emerge from them in
the future will be very beneficial to developing countries. The Group is
also convinced that better results can only be achieved if the Technical
Cooperation Program is based on the needs and priorities defined by the
Member States and if recipient Member States are fully involved in the
implementation of the program activities.
4. As the Technical Cooperation Program is directly related to the
welfare of the developing Member States of the Group of 77 and China, it
is necessary to maintain an adequate balance between the promotional and
regulatory activities of the Agency. While being aware of the importance
of enhancing safety and security-related activities of the Agency both as
a means to support the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy
and to contribute to the prevention of terrorism, the Group strongly
believes that measures adopted in this regard should not hamper the
developmental activities of the Agency.
Mr. Chairman,
5. The Group of 77 and China is pleased and encouraged to learn from
the Report that the financial and technical management of the Technical
Cooperation activities in 2001 showed a healthy upward trend. The level of
Member States' pledges to the Technical Cooperation Fund in 2001as the
second highest ever, representing a rate of attainment of 80.01 %, the
highest extra-budgetary contributions in the past 10 years and the record
level of program delivery are some of the manifestations of this welcome
achievement.
6. The Group would like to take this opportunity to commend the hard
work and the able leadership of the department of Technical Cooperation
for showing these good results. The Group will be pleased to continue
extending its constructive cooperation to the Agency and in particular to
the Technical Cooperation department to achieve even better results in the
future.
7. With regard to the 2002 TC Strategy Review contained in document
GOV/INF/2002/8, the Group wishes to express its appreciation for the
efforts of the Secretariat in preparing this document. However, due to its
late issuance, the Group is not in a position to have detailed comments on
it at the present stage and will mainly provide some general comments on
it. The Group noted with satisfaction that the strategic goal of the TC
Strategy and its concepts presented in 1997 remain valid and that this
Review simply represents further refinement, not a major change of the
original strategy. The Group welcomes the fact that the 2002 Review of the
Strategy is geared towards the achievement of sustainable development
objectives and needs of Member States, and emphasizes the continued role
of the Agency in fostering such objectives through the TC programme. In
this connection the Group strongly believes that the concept of one house
approach should be reflected in this review of the TC Strategy. Concerning
the funding, the Group wishes to re-emphasize the necessity to render the
resources of TCF predictable and assured, a notion which was also stressed
in the mentioned Strategy Review, in concurrence with pertinent General
Conference resolutions. The Group has also noted the new format and the
introduction of new concepts, based on the results-based approach. The
Group will be in a position to comment on this document after analysing it
thoroughly.
8. With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, the Group of 77 and China is
pleased to request that the Director General transmit the Technical
Cooperation Report for 2001 to the General Conference.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman,
1. In relation to document GOV/2002/21, which contains the Report of
the Program and Budget Committee, the Group of 77 and China would like to
comment on the following matters:
2. On the Agency's Draft Budget Update for 2003, the Group would like to
recall the great importance it attaches to the principle that additional
activities to be implemented in the areas of safety and security should
not be implemented at the expense of the activities of the Technical
Cooperation Program. Another essential principle for the Group is that the
primary responsibility for nuclear safety and security rests with Member
States themselves.
3. In regard to the financial aspects, even though the new safety and
security related activities are to be funded by extra-budgetary
contributions, the Group remains concerned about the extremely high level
of CAURBs, which currently amounts to about 13% of the regular budget.
Given the fact that the bulk of CAURBs is concentrated in one major area,
the Group considers that this situation does not contribute to the
desirable balance between promotional and verification activities of the
Agency.
4. In light of the Group's commitment to the international efforts to
prevent terrorism in all its forms, the Group believes that the
enhancement of the Agency's safety and security related activities may
bring a positive contribution to those global efforts. To that end, the
Group stresses the need to establish clear priorities, and requests to be
regularly informed on the implementation of the Action Plan considered by
the Board of Governors last March. The Group also deems it very important
to receive periodic information on the work of the Ad Sec (Advisory Group
on Security).
Mr. Chairman,
5. In relation to the recent consultations on this very important
matter, the Group of 77 and China would like to express its special
gratitude to Ambassador SREENIVASAN and Ambassador JENKINS for their
indefatigable efforts and valuable contribution. The Group is also very
appreciative of your own intense efforts, Mr. Chairman, to bring about a
successful conclusion to this essential issue.
6. In this context, the G-77 and China recalls the statement made by
Ambassador Sreenivasan at the PBC meeting on 6 May, wherein he made the
following points:
(i) The Group attaches the greatest importance to the Technical
Cooperation activities of the IAEA not only because it benefits the
members of the Group but also because it feels that the promotional
responsibilities of the IAEA should have the same priority as its other
statutory obligations. The developed countries have made an unequivocal
commitment in this regard and unless the targets are progressively revised
upwards each year, Technical Cooperation will lag behind the other
activities of the Agency.
(ii) The Rate of Attainment has already been achieved for the year
2001 and there is no reason to believe that this positive trend will not
continue.
(iii) As regards non-payments by some Member States of their shares
of the voluntary contributions as well as the APCs, while it is accepted
that all efforts should be made to recover the outstanding amounts to the
extent possible, it would be unfair to penalise countries twice over since
the 'Due account mechanism' would have already taken care of this.
(iv) It is also important to recall that developing countries agreed
to the phasing out of "shielding" from contributions to the
Safeguards Budget on the understanding that there would be a substantial
increase to the TCF.
(v) According to the Zero Real Growth principle which underpins the
approach to all budgetary issues at the Agency, the Target figure for 2003
will work out to USD 74.97 million. The figure for 2004 should be the
approved target figure for 2003 to which the corresponding inflation rate
for 2004 has been added. As for the IPFs for 2005-2006, the rate of
increase should be at least the anticipated inflation component in the
intervening period. The Group also believes that targets for 2003-2004 and
the IPFs for 2005-2006 should be agreed upon as a package.
Mr. Chairman,
6. The Group of 77 and China has carefully analyzed document
(GOV/2002/17), which contains the proposed amendments to the Agency's
Staff Regulations and represents the first thorough review of these
regulations, which have been applied provisionally since 1957. The Group
also appreciates the issuance of Note 2002/13, as well as the briefings
held on the subject.
7. With regard to the proposed amendment of Staff Regulation 4.01, on
Termination of Appointments, the Group strongly believes that, in
conformity with Articles VII.B and VII.E of the Statute, the authority of
the Board of Governors should be preserved. In this connection, the Group
stresses that it considers this as a matter of principle.
8. The Group thus believes, that in order to facilitate a possible
consensus on the proposed amendments to the Agency's Staff Regulations, an
alternative solution could be elaborated so as to allay the Group's
concerns on the proposed amendment of paragraph 4.01(c).
Thank you, Mr. Chairman
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