Vienna Chapter
The Group of 77 and China commends the Secretariat for the preparation of
document GOV/2001/2 entitled "Nuclear Safety Review for the year 2000"
and thanks the Deputy Director General of the Department of Nuclear Safety
for introducing it. We note that the review has the same format as the
last year. The Group welcomes various Conventions and Agreements on
Nuclear, Radiation and Waste Safety which are expected to contribute to
the development of safety culture in the Member States.
The Group takes note with appreciation of the new emergency response
framework developed by the IAEA in consultation with other relevant
international organizations and Member States. The Group encourages Member
States to make use of the new framework, a step that would assist in
dealing with radiological consequences of events at an early stage.
The Group notes with satisfaction that of the issues to be addressed
by INSAG in its current term are: higher safety culture and international
coherence of nuclear safety standards.
The Group of 77 and China commends the role of the IAEA in upgrading
and expanding safety standards, and the publication and approval of a
number of safety requirements and safety guides during the year. Though
these safety standards are non-binding, in many Member States they do
serve as a basis for guidelines for national regulation and are reflected
in their regulatory documents. Hence, the Agency should continue to
provide all possible assistance to promote their implementation in the
Member States.
The Group expresses its concern over the risks involved in the
possible non-adherence of adequate safety standards and IAEA regulations
during international maritime transport of radioactive materials, in
particular because of the potential harmful effects for human life and the
ecosystems of the coastal transit states. In this sense, the Group urges
Member States to strengthen the safety standards and follow IAEA
regulations, as applicable, for the transport of radioactive materials.
The support extended to the developing Member States in safety
related activities, in the various areas of nuclear, radiation and waste
safety through the technical cooperation programme, is highly appreciated.
We note that the Agency supported 110 such projects during 2000.
The Group also appreciates the Agency's support through the Model
Project on upgrading radiation and waste safety infrastructure and Peer
Reviews conducted to evaluate and quantify the progress achieved so far
under the Model Project.
The Group has studied the various significant safety events with
potential long-term consequences that have taken place at reactors and
other nuclear facilities. These events highlight the need for continuous
efforts to maintain and improve nuclear safety even in countries with long
established nuclear programmes. From these events one should incorporate
appropriate remedial measures to ensure that they do not recur. The
importance of maintaining and enhancing safety culture in all human
activities involving radiation has been reinforced by these events.
The Group appreciates the Agency's efforts in initiating an
International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles
(INPRO). The Innovative reactors designed for such fuel cycle could also
be used to transmute existing weapons grade materials with benefits for
both non-proliferation and radioactive waste management. The Group
appreciates that due consideration will be given, to technology,
safeguards and proliferation, economic and safety issues, while developing
Innovative Reactors.
The Group has always emphasized that exchange of information and
technology is most crucial for the development of safety culture. However,
there is a decrease in the training courses and workshops on safety
related topics from 80 in 1999 to 60 in 2000. We once again request the
Secretariat to give more importance to these training events and increase
their number in the future.
The Agency sponsored three major International Conferences in 2000,
which were useful and provided an opportunity for information and
technology exchange.
The number of co-ordinated Research Projects in the area of safety
has come down to 14, as compared to 25 in 1999. These projects provide a
very important forum for technology transfer of direct relevance to Member
States. The Group firmly believes that there should be an increase in the
number of CRPs and in the outlay for this activity in the budget.
The number of co-ordinated Research Projects in the area of safety
has come down to 14, as compared to 25 in 1999. These projects provide a
very important forum for technology transfer of direct relevance to Member
States. The Group firmly believes that there should be an increase in the
number of CRPs and in the outlay for this activity in the budget.
With these observations, the Group takes note of the Nuclear Safety
Review for the Year 2000.
Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 & China, I wish to express
support for the action plan proposed by the Secretariat for enhancing the
safety of radiation sources and the security of radioactive materials. The
Group further notes that this was in response to the request made by the
March 1999 Meeting of the Board to prepare an action plan taking into
account the conclusions and recommendations made and in which the
subsequent 1999 General Conference endorsed the Board's decision.
The Group also takes note of the major findings of the Buenos Aires
Conference, in particular, the importance of education and training as key
factors in achieving the objectives set. To this end and in the context of
TCDC, the Group is pleased to inform the Meeting that long term IAEA
training courses are being conducted in Argentina, Malaysia, Syria and
South Africa leading to postgraduate diplomas in radiation protection.
With regard to effective independence of the regulatory authority, the
Group recalls that for some developing countries, regulatory authority
independence from users and promoters of radiation techniques is sometimes
subjective but practical. What is more important is the effectiveness and
the provision of necessary enforcement powers, support and resources. The
Group also lauds the call for raising the level of awareness of users
regarding the responsibility for safety and security of radiation
resources as also critical to increasing enforcement and regulatory powers
of authorities.
In connection with technical assistance, the Group supports the
further expansion of the Model Projects for the upgrading of radiation
protection infrastructure and regional co-operation programmes related to
radiation safety to cover all developing States receiving Agency technical
assistance. The Group also agrees with the continuation through 2 new
Model Projects in the years 2001 and 2004.
The Group also takes note of the Immediate future actions demanded on
the States to ensure the safety and security of radiation sources but
reminds the Board of the need to bear in mind, the immediate needs of
developing countries and the unique problems faced.
To that end, the Group takes note of the major findings of the Buenos
Aires Conference and the request for the Secretariat to assess its
implications, to fine tune the Action Plan in its light and taking into
account relevant comments, as requested in the Board action as contained
in document GOV/2001/3.
The Group of 77 and China welcomes the addition of the item "Nuclear
Technology Review 2001" in the agenda of the March Board and would
like to thank the Secretariat and the Director General for inclusion of a
comprehensive review of Nuclear Technology as a regular agenda item in
meetings of the Board. The Group appreciates its suggestion for the
inclusion of both power and non-power applications of nuclear energy as
being incorporated in the present document.
The Nuclear Technology Review - Update 2001 presents a fairly good
picture of technological development and global status of nuclear power
and provides Member States with information about developments on the
peaceful uses of nuclear energy as well as highlighting a number of
central issues in a realistic and balanced manner. The document has
clearly illustrated an overview of nuclear energy worldwide including a
perspective view of the future and has addressed all issues, particularly
sustainable energy management. While noting, that the greatest increase in
the utilization of nuclear power would take place in certain developing
countries, the Group is of the view that issues of financing and
technology development in developing countries needs to be addressed with
a view to making available the option of nuclear power to more developing
countries.
The Group notes the positive mention of the future role of nuclear
power in several analyses, including, inter-alia, the November EC Green
Paper and Belgium's Ampere Commission Report. The Group also notes that
nuclear power plays a major role in most of the sustainable scenarios
associated with the two major new international studies of long-term
energy prospects; the IPCC - Special Report on Emission Scenarios and the
World Energy Assessment. The Group calls on the Agency and interested
Member States to address public concerns and participate in improvements
in safety and proliferation resistance, through innovative reactor
designs. The Group welcomes the Agency's efforts to reinforce national
initiatives through the new International Project on Innovative Reactors
and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). The Group would also like to see more in the next
review document about the relation between the Agency and other
international organizations that are involved with Nuclear Energy.
The Agency may play an important role in international efforts to
reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol. It is
suggested that this document compares the advantages of nuclear energy
with all other sources to highlight the role of Nuclear Power as a clean
and sustainable technology at appropriate international meetings in this
regard. The Group takes note with appreciation the Agency's activities for
establishing a regional TC Project to evaluate the possible role of
Nuclear Energy in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
The Group notes that Research Reactors and accelerators are powerful
tools of nuclear science and serve as sources of ionizing radiation for
materials investigation and radioisotope production. They have had a
significant impact on economic and industrial development in many
countries and have facilitated the development of high technology
products. They have also contributed significantly to health care, through
the use of radioisotopes. The Group finds the information contained in the
document very useful and also had highlighted some important facts,
particularly about the present situation of research reactors in the
world. The Group notes that 86 out of 292 operating research reactors are
in developing countries, therefore, the Agency should continue its active
role in supporting the sustainability of the research reactors in
developing countries. The Group supported the Agency's activities relating
to more utilization of research reactors in developing countries and also
the Agency's efforts to changing the HEU research reactor fuel cycle to
LEU fuel.
We have studies carefully the document on desalination and our comments
on the issue are as follows. The estimated lack of safe water for 1.1
billion people particularly in developing countries is one of the major
concerns of the Group.
Although desalination technologies are well established since the mid
20th century, almost 60% of the deployed capacity is located in the Middle
East and based on fossil-fuel. This may not be an adequate solution for
non-oil producing countries. In this regard, the Group commends the
Secretariat for its effort in the dissemination of desalination technology
using nuclear techniques. We believe that nuclear desalination is not only
environmentally benign but also makes sound economic sense for certain
developing countries. With these comments, the G77 and China is willing to
see the outcome of the second phase of consultations of the INDAG the only
regular, comprehensive, world wide forum for the exchange of information
on nuclear desalination technologies and programmes, and the Group commits
itself to co-operate with the Secretariat through this body in order to
enhance the nuclear desalination programme in conformity with the latest
internationally recognized safety standards. The estimated funding for the
execution of the INDAG recommendations for 2001 of US$ 241,000 is not
included in the Agency's regular budget, and the Group calls upon the
donor community to contribute to this programme which is of utmost
importance to the promotional activities of the Agency.
The Group of 77 and China feels there is need for more effort to
develop large-scale commercial application of irradiation of food items as
a process to enhance food safety, security and trade and also to promote
its acceptance. In view of hunger and malnutrition affecting its members,
the Group stresses the importance of the Agency as a technology carrier in
human nutrition areas through emphasis on isotopic techniques as tools to
evaluate the nutritional status and the equality of foods in context of
national development programmes. In this regard, the Group calls for
increased co-ordinated Research Projects and Technical Co-operation
Projects in the areas of health, nutrition and environment to improve the
quality of life to members of the Group.
The G-77 and China recognizes that sufficient potable water supplies for
all mankind are of vital importance, as it is emphasized in Agenda 21 of
the Rio Summit on Development and Environment and subsequently recalled at
the 19th special session of the United Nations General Assembly. In this
regard, the G-77 and China takes note with appreciation of the activities
undertaken during the period 1999-2000 towards fuller utilization of
isotope techniques for water resources development and management and for
providing technical assistance to developing countries for the application
of proven methodologies. The use of isotope techniques in the assessment
of submarine ground water discharge within a framework cooperation between
the Agency, UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme and the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission are of great socio-economic
impact to coastal areas of developing Member States which are suffering
from the increasing scarcity of freshwater resources.
With theses comments the G-77 and China encourages the
Director-General to fulfill the implementation of the resolution GC(43)
Res.16 and to report on the progress to the 45th regular session of the
General Conference. Also, the G-77 and China calls upon the donor
community to assist the Secretariat in carrying out this task.
The Group of 77 and China has noted with satisfaction the wealth of
experience of Dr. Elbaradei, acquired over the years in the Agency,
dealing with nuclear and management issues. These experiences have been
brought to bear on the conduct of the affairs of the Agency, since his
assumption of the leadership of the Agency.
In particular, the Group commends his innovative and efficient style
of functioning, as well as his leadership skills and looks forward to
continue to benefit from these qualities in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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