Vienna Chapter
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me at the outset to express our appreciation to the Director
General Mohamed El-Baradei for his comprehensive statement. The Group
wishes also to express its gratitude to DDG Mr. Domaratzki and the
Secretariat for the preparation of the document and the other INF
documents in that regard.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group has carefully studied the document GOV/2000/34 containing
the Action Plan and would like to reiterate its position delivered at the
Board's meeting in March 2000. The Group appreciates in particular the
support extended to the developing Member States through TC programmes in
safety related activities and on the progress made on Model Project on
upgrading radiation and waste safety infrastructure. The Group also notes
with appreciation the increasing training activities and meetings and
looks forward for continuing support to Coordinated Research Projects
(CRPs).
The Group wishes to reiterate its concern about further accidents
resulting in the exposure of non-radiation workers to radiation sources
left abandoned or unattended. It indicates that the management of the
institutions using these sources requires further education, specially
strict compliance with the regulations, regarding their safe-keeping or
disposal after use. Similarly, lessons must be learnt from the accident at
Tokaimura which resulted in the exposure of workers and members of the
public to high neutron doses. It underscores the need for the extension of
rigorous safety procedures to nuclear installations of all types.
With these comments, Mr. Chairman, the Group wishes to approve the
recommended action contained in the document GOV/2000/34.
Thank you.
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me at the outset to express to you the Group's deep
appreciation and gratitude for your strenuous efforts in reaching an
agreement on the issue of financing of Technical Cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
The G 77 and China have presented specific proposed amendments on the
draft, and it is satisfied that some of them were taken into consideration
in the present draft. The Group would like to underline the importance of
the issue of rendering the resources to the TCF predictable, assured and
sufficient. In that regard, the Group did not object to the new proposed
mechanism of "Rate of Attainment " which it considers as a means
to attain the objective of fulfilling the target figure of the TCF in full
and on time, and, meanwhile to render more actual resources to the TCF.
Mr. Chairman,
On the specific issue of the level of the target figure, the Group
has manifested its understanding to the concerns and views of several
other member states which regarded it difficult to go along with an
increase of the target figure for the new biennia, fearing this would
endanger the successful functioning of the new mechanism of "Rate of
Attainment ". However, the Group would like to underscore that it
considers that the "Rate of Attainment should by no means prejudge
the decision of setting a target to the TCF. The mechanism should not
entail- even on the abstract level - a freeze on the target figure, as the
mechanism is determined by the target, and not vice versa, and as the
target is the only indicator and mechanism designed to meet the growing
needs of TC Programmes.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group would like to express its satisfaction for having a
separate resolution on the issue of financing of technical cooperation, a
fact which corresponds to a long held position of the group, and reaffirms
the importance of rendering the sufficient resources to the technical
cooperation activities of the Agency. Moreover, the Group is of the
conviction that this resolution, as much as all General Conference
resolutions, carry with it a firm political commitment by all member
states to ensure its implementation. It will be the duty of the
Secretariat to pursue its implementation and report to the Board of
Governors on the progress, or lack of progress and the causes for that.
In this context it is imperative for all member states, particularly
the major contributors, who do not pay in full and on time their assessed
contributions to the TCF to uphold their commitments according to this
resolution.
Finally, Mr. Chairman,
The Group has always held the view that both issues of financing of
TC and financing of SG are effectively interrelated. Therefore the Group
welcomes the approach which dealt with them in sort of a package, and
though we have two resolutions, but it was only due to this interrelation
and package approach which permitted us to have fruitful discussions
consensus on both issues.
We thank you again Mr. Chairman for all your efforts.
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset allow me to express to you once again our deep
appreciation and gratitude for your tireless efforts and indulgence to
accommodate the divergent views on this issue and to be able to present us
with this draft resolution.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China attaches great importance to the Safeguards
activities of the Agency and supports its efficiency and effectiveness.
It is precisely for this purpose that the Group encourages the
constant review of the implementation of the safeguards activities in
order to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the safeguards activities of the
Agency, taking into account especially the pertinent observations of the
External Auditor in that regard.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group considers that there has been no dramatic change in the
circumstances which led to the application of the shielding system some 30
years ago, and therefore no real need was evident to have an immediate
elimination of this system at the year 2000 as has been advocated by some
Member States. Moreover, the Group regarded no urgency to implement the
de-shielding, since this was not of a direct benefit to the Agency per se,
rather it was only a matter of transfer of resources among member States
themselves.
It was on these premises that the group held at the beginning of the
process the position to maintain the status quo in that regard. However,
and in the course of negotiations, the group is prepared to make a major
concession by accepting the de-shielding arrangements for the sake of
equality in obligations and commitments by all Member States, and it is
the expectation of this group that such a concession would be reciprocated
on an equitable basis, in all domains related to the Agency's activities.
Furthermore, it is of fundamental importance to the Group to
implement the de-shielding in a time span that would take into
consideration the additional burden on the budgets of the de-shielded
countries. In that context, the Group insisted to have the longest
duration possible to LDC's, which amounted in the end to 28 years.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group would like once again to appreciate the interrelated
approach pursued in dealing with both issues of financing of TC and SGs.
And although the members of the Group are fully aware of the difference of
the financing nature of both activities, the adoption of the General
Conference of the two pertinent resolutions gives equal obligation to all
member States to faithfully implement them.
Thank you.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China would like to express its appreciation to
the Secretariat for the document (GOV/2000/37-GC(44)/13) on the overview
of the plan for producing potable water economically.
The Group welcomes the developments accrued so far on that project,
which include, inter alia, the initiation of a Feasibility Study on the
construction of a nuclear desalination plant in Egypt. Ongoing new
projects and studies being conducted in this field in other members of the
group are also appreciated. Interaction with other international
organisations is important and the Group notes that efforts have been
intensified towards this end. Small and Medium Sized Reactors (SMR) offer
suitable options for electricity generation in countries with small
electricity grids together with the production of potable water through
the nuclear desalination process.
The Group further welcomes and appreciates the extrabudgetary
contributions made by some Member States to support this interrelated
project on producing potable water economically, and requests all
interested members to make similar contributions.
Finally, Mr. Chairman,
The Group appreciates the efforts of the Secretariat in that regard,
and further appreciates its efforts in bringing out various documents on
the nuclear desalination process which are of significant usefulness. And
while anticipating the increase of the resources allocated to this program
in the draft budget for the year 2001, we appeal to all donor countries to
lend their financial and technical support to this very important
activity. With these comments, we request the Agency to continue to assign
importance to this vital area.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
|
|
|
|
| First
Page
Vienna Chapter |
G-77 Homepage |