General Assembly Session 52 meeting 49

Mr. Kolos (Belarus)

Having examined the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the delegation of Belarus notes with satisfaction the high professional level of its preparation. We thank Mr. Hans Blix for the submission of the report to the General Assembly and commend his performance in his post, to which he has devoted 16 years of his life. Our delegation associates his name with the impressive authority the Agency has acquired in the international community. I also want to extend our best wishes to Mr. ElBaradei, the incoming Director General, and pledge our support to him.

In the 40 years of its existence, the IAEA has made a considerable contribution towards strengthening security and the prevention of nuclear-weapons proliferation. We attach special importance to this area of the Agency's activities. In strict compliance with the principles of non-proliferation, Belarus ratified the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, adhered to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear-weapon State, signed a safeguards agreement with the Agency, and signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

The IAEA's efforts to promote nuclear-free zones are highly commendable. The signing of the Pelindaba Treaty turns the whole southern hemisphere into a vast nuclear-free zone. We believe that this development should inspire countries of the northern hemisphere to take similar steps. In this context, the Belarus initiative aimed at establishing a nuclear-free space in the European region acquires particular relevance and importance. Its realization could promote strengthening of the non-proliferation regime, European and international security and confidence-building among States, without prejudice to stability within the European continent.

We strongly support the IAEA's efforts to improve the efficiency of the safeguards system, and we remain committed to strict compliance with our international obligations in this area. In close cooperation with Japan, Sweden and the United States of America, and with the Agency's coordination, the major part of the work in establishing in Belarus a State system of accounting and control for nuclear materials has been accomplished. In this connection, we would like to express our gratitude to the Governments of those countries for their support and assistance. The installed measuring systems allow us not only to keep track of nuclear materials but also to monitor their transit through the territory of Belarus. Taking into account the availability in Belarus of highly skilled specialists in this field, we would like to renew our proposal to the IAEA secretariat to establish a regional training centre in Belarus on controls and physical protection of nuclear materials.

Belarus welcomes the IAEA's efforts in strengthening the existing safeguards system provided for in programme "93 + 2" and the application of the Model Additional Protocol. We are confident that the Agency will continue to play the key role in strengthening the non-proliferation regime.

Belarus recognizes the significant amount of work done by the Agency in the international legal and standard-building fields. The results of this work include the adoption of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage. In this context, I am pleased to inform the General Assembly that the Parliament of Belarus has ratified the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, thus taking further steps towards close international cooperation in the nuclear field.

Illicit trafficking in nuclear materials may pose a serious threat to the security of States. In this context, our delegation welcomes the measures taken by the Agency -- namely, the adoption of the programme for combating illicit trafficking in nuclear material, agreed upon at the Moscow and Denver Summits. The Russian Federation's proposal regarding formulation of a convention to combat acts of nuclear terrorism, being discussed in the Sixth Committee, also merits a positive response.

Last year the international community commemorated with grief the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe, which affected every fifth citizen of our country. We note with satisfaction that one of the sections of the report is devoted to this issue, and it confirms, inter alia, a dramatic increase in cases of thyroid cancer in children and serious economic and social consequences of the catastrophe. More than 2 million inhabitants have been exposed to radiation. According to the most cautious estimates, economic and material damage sustained by Belarus as a result of this disaster amounts to 32 annual budgets of the Republic, or $235 billion. Over half a million children under 17 years of age are living in the contaminated areas. According to medical experts, the dawn of the next century will see the citizens of our Republic exposed to a full-scale epidemic of cancer-related diseases.

Chernobyl is a long-term problem which can be tackled successfully only through the concerted efforts of the entire international community. This was clearly confirmed by international scientific conferences held last year in Geneva, Minsk, Vienna and Kiev. The international forums indicated a progressive worsening of the health conditions of the affected population, confirmed the real scale and magnitude of the tragedy and stressed the need for intensifying international cooperation in providing assistance to affected States.

The delegation of Belarus thanks the European Commission, the IAEA, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other organizations for their input in conducting those conferences. My country expresses the hope that the Agency will deem it expedient to use the results obtained by those organizations in its work.

Our Republic greatly appreciates the work being done by the United Nations on initiating, discussing and coordinating activities related to the solution of Chernobyl problems. At the same time, we are seriously concerned that against the background of the current discussions on the closing of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the problem of the liquidation of medical and environmental consequences of the disaster is being pushed aside.

In this connection, we wish to draw the attention of delegations to the two important initiatives put forward by the President of Belarus at the Vienna Conference on Chernobyl. The first initiative is on the creation of an international common scientific centre for Chernobyl problems, which would pool efforts of scientists from different countries conducting research in this field. The second initiative is on the need to set up a planet protection fund, which could accumulate part of the profits of nuclear machine-building and power engineering corporations in order to use these funds for the elimination of the consequences of nuclear catastrophes and for the implementation of important environmental programmes.

We hope that the United Nations, and the IAEA in particular, will consider these ideas with understanding and support. Belarus is confident that a United Nations strategy for further enhanced international Chernobyl cooperation for the second decade after the disaster will be worked out and agreed upon in the nearest future with the active participation of the IAEA.

The promotion of technical cooperation is one of the main objectives of the Agency. We support an integrated approach by the IAEA in this field, particularly through the use of model projects, country planning frameworks and sectoral planning. As a focal point for strengthening radiation protection and nuclear safety infrastructure in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the IAEA activities deserve high praise. The Agency should continue to act with flexibility in providing country-specific technical support.

In conclusion, I wish to evaluate positively the work of the Agency in 1996, to support the priority directions of its future activities and to express the hope that cooperation with the Agency in resolving all problems related to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy will become increasingly close.

Mr. Takht-Ravanchi (Iran)

On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), I would like to express my delegation's appreciation to Mr. Hans Blix for his outstanding performance during his tenure as Director General of the Agency. My congratulations are also due to Mr. ElBaradei, the new Director General of the Agency. We are confident that with his valuable professional expertise and experience, he is well placed to assist the States members of the Agency in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy throughout the world, as envisaged in the statute of the IAEA.

Having reviewed the annual report of the IAEA for 1996, we are pleased to see that the Agency is continuing to make progress in its mandated objectives and duties. The end of the cold war has enhanced the relevance of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In this regard, the IAEA is expected to promote the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world and, at the same time, to verify vigorously the obligations of all the States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

One of the main objectives of the IAEA is to ensure that nuclear energy is not used in furtherance of military purposes. In this context, the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones through legally binding instruments has proved to be a viable tool in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The recent conclusion of such treaties in Africa and South Asia has been an important step towards a world free from nuclear weapons. By the same token, the initiative aimed at making the sensitive region of Central Asia a zone free from nuclear weapons is commendable.

Regrettably, however, despite the long-standing support of the Agency, a nuclear-weapon-free zone is yet to be established in the Middle East, due, as is commonly recognized, to the refusal of Israel, with the well-known support of certain nuclear Powers, to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to place its unsafeguarded nuclear-weapon facilities under IAEA safeguards.

As an original signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the IAEA safeguards, the Islamic Republic of Iran has complied with all its obligations under the Treaty. This has been acknowledged on numerous occasions by the Agency's teams of experts and officials when visiting Iran, including Mr. Blix himself. Moreover, Iran has always pursued an open and transparent policy in its peaceful nuclear activities, and will continue to support the strengthening of comprehensive, non-discriminatory and balanced non-proliferation principles.

As stated in decision 2 on "Principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament", unanimously adopted during the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the NPT, the IAEA is the competent authority responsible to verify and assure, in accordance with the statute of the Agency and the Agency's safeguards system, compliance by States parties with its safeguards agreements. The decision further states that nothing should be done to undermine the authority of the IAEA in this regard. States parties that have concerns regarding non-compliance with the safeguards agreements of the Treaty by the States parties should direct such concerns, along with supporting evidence and information, to the Agency to consider, investigate, draw conclusions and decide on necessary actions in accordance with its mandate. It is unfortunate to note that certain States parties, in total disregard of their commitments undertaken during the 1995 Conference, continue to level politically motivated allegations against other States parties. Repetition of such claims will definitely undermine the role of the IAEA in the implementation of the NPT.

After the second Persian Gulf war, the Agency initiated a programme to strengthen and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its safeguards system. This led to the adoption, by the Board of Governors last May, of a Model Additional Protocol to safeguards agreements. We firmly believe that the Protocol should be applied equally to the nuclear facilities of all States, in particular those that possess nuclear weapons. The universality of the new safeguards system is the only way to ensure the compliance of all States with the nuclear non-proliferation principles envisaged in the NPT and the statute of the IAEA.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, along with many other developing countries, is convinced that the Additional Protocol to safeguards agreements should not compromise the inalienable rights of the parties to the NPT to the peaceful uses of nuclear materials and technology. With the new strengthened safeguards system in place, there are no justifications -- if there ever were any -- for existing discriminatory restrictions and regimes on the transfer of nuclear materials and technology for peaceful purposes.

We note the recent developments concerning the revision of article VI of the statute of the Agency on the composition of the Board of Governors, and are of the view that certain regions do not enjoy adequate representation in the main decision-making body of the IAEA. This issue has been on the agenda of the General Conference of the Agency for 20 years. A number of developments, including an increase in the membership of the Agency, have made it abundantly necessary to review this article with a view to better reflecting the existing realities in the international community. My delegation believes that this issue should not be linked to certain other issues such as the composition of certain geographical groupings. The package approach may only complicate the process. It is our considered view that the recognized members of each geographical grouping of the Agency are well placed to decide about their composition.

In conclusion, we hope that the IAEA, under the new leadership, will continue to promote its lofty objectives into the next century.

Ms. Arystanbekova (Kazakhstan)

Allow me first of all to express my delegation's appreciation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the report submitted to the General Assembly on its activity for 1996, as contained in document GC(41)/8. We would also like to thank the Director General of the Agency, Mr. Hans Blix, for his comprehensive introductory statement.

For 40 years, the IAEA has significantly contributed to strengthening the non-proliferation regime, devising effective mechanisms for monitoring the trafficking of nuclear materials, strengthening the international system of guarantees, and establishing effective cooperation on nuclear energy issues, radiation safety and waste disposal.

The annual report of the IAEA which has been submitted for our attention clearly illustrates the vitally important role which the Agency plays in meeting these combined challenges under the terms of its statute and the relevant General Assembly resolutions.

Following the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Kazakhstan was left with a nuclear inheritance including nuclear weapons, a uranium industry, uranium-processing and fuel-production enterprises, and experimental industrial nuclear reactors.

Upon achieving independence, Kazakhstan unequivocally stated its attitude to nuclear weapons. Our country's clear-cut and firm position on nuclear disarmament and the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime was confirmed by a number of specific actions. One of the first was the decree of the President of Kazakhstan, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbaev, closing down the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Kazakhstan acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon State. All nuclear warheads were removed from the Republic. Kazakhstan received comprehensive guarantees of its security and territorial integrity from the nuclear powers. In October 1996, Kazakhstan signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Kazakhstan fully supports the Agency's efforts aimed at strengthening the existing system of guarantees. Our country, as a member of the IAEA, has signed a safeguards agreement with the IAEA which came into force in August 1995 following ratification by decree of the President of Kazakhstan. Under the agreement, all of the Republic's peaceful nuclear activity is subject to IAEA safeguards. The measures contained in Part 1 of programme "93 + 2" have started to be applied at nuclear facilities in Kazakhstan that have been placed under safeguards.

We welcome the measures being undertaken by the IAEA to prevent illegal trafficking in nuclear materials and sources of ionizing radiation. In recognition of the fact that national Governments bear a tremendous responsibility in this regard, a State system of accounting and monitoring nuclear materials has been devised and is operating in Kazakhstan, and reports are being prepared for the IAEA. Agency inspections take place at all nuclear facilities and nuclear materials are verified. These extensive measures ensure the transparency of nuclear activity in our country's territory.

Kazakhstan greatly appreciates the role of the IAEA in strengthening the system for monitoring the trafficking of nuclear materials and enhancing the system's effectiveness. In its export policy, Kazakhstan complies with all the Agency's requirements as regards the import and export of nuclear materials. These requirements are reflected in current government guidelines regulating imports and exports. The national law on export control and the law on the use of atomic energy are the principal legal underpinnings of the unified system of State monitoring of nuclear materials in the Republic at the present time.

With one power reactor and four research reactors, our country fully supports the efforts of the IAEA in the field of nuclear safety. Kazakhstan is currently carrying out the internal State procedures that will enable it to ratify the Convention on Nuclear Safety, which we signed last year.

The problem of how to handle radioactive waste is an important issue for Kazakhstan. Like any country developing a nuclear power industry, Kazakhstan is trying to identify acceptable solutions to this problem. Meanwhile, we must elaborate a modern legislative and normative base to deal with radiation safety and waste handling, as well as an appropriate infrastructure. This is why the Kazakh Government has endorsed a regional IAEA project designed to meet these challenges by the start of the next century.

Kazakhstan is taking part in technical cooperation projects with the IAEA concerning the use of nuclear and isotope methods in industry, agriculture, medicine, hydrology and other fields, and we hope that this cooperation will be extended. It is in this area that our country can make a contribution to expanding the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. For example, our country has accumulated fairly wide experience in using a fast reactor for removing salt from sea water, which Kazakhstan could share with interested countries.

Kazakhstan possesses ample scientific and technical potential in the field of nuclear energy. The Government is devoting special attention to converting the former nuclear test site near Semipalatinsk, whose research facilities currently form part of the National Nuclear Centre of Kazakhstan. In this area, Kazakhstan is actively cooperating with the IAEA. Studies have been made of the radiological condition of the territory of the test site. The findings are helping to identify possible ways to manage the consequences of years of nuclear weapon tests.

Once again it should be recalled that over a period of more than 40 years, the world's largest nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk witnessed 470 nuclear explosions, 113 of which took place in the atmosphere. Those explosions represented approximately 70 per cent of all the nuclear weapon tests conducted by the former USSR. Colossal damage has been inflicted on the health of the people of Kazakhstan and their environment. As indicated in the IAEA annual report presented here today, prolonged residence in the localities around this test site is resulting in unacceptably high doses of radiation. We hope that future technical assistance from the Agency will be adequate to meet the urgent problems facing Kazakhstan in this regard.

In September 1997, exactly 50 years after the establishment of the Semipalatinsk test site, the International Conference on Problems of Nuclear Weapon Non-Proliferation was held in Almaty and Kurchatov, Kazakhstan, on the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, Mr. Nazarbaev. Political and technical issues related to assurance of a non-proliferation regime and the problems of converting former nuclear test sites and their infrastructure were discussed at the Conference.

In his address to the Conference participants, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, stressed that:

"This Conference is one of a number of important steps towards a nuclear-free world. The world community knows that nuclear tests have caused an extended area of Kazakhstan to be affected by nuclear radiation with significant deterioration of the environment. This problem requires international attention. Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, as well as protection of the environment and economic development, are important items on the agenda of the international community."

In the final document of the Conference, which has been circulated in United Nations document A/52/461, the Conference participants noted that:

"The Conference gave experts with different approaches to solving proliferation problems, the opportunity to exchange their views, to share experience of different countries and international organizations directed to strengthening the nonproliferation regime." [A/52/461, annex, fourth paragraph]

They expressed the hope that it had "contributed significantly to the understanding of the problems related to strengthening non-proliferation and ... that progress was achieved in mutual understanding between the participating countries." [ibid., fifth paragraph]

The Conference participants also expressed their gratitude to the International Atomic Energy Agency for its noble efforts

"in strengthening the regime as well as its activities in increasing the efficiency of international safeguards of peaceful nuclear activity." [ibid., third paragraph]

They wished the Agency

"further success in its activities during its fortieth anniversary year and in the years to come." [ibid., fifth paragraph]

The IAEA plays an important and increasingly active role in promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and in supporting and strengthening the non-proliferation regime. In reiterating its high regard for the Agency's contribution to strengthening peace and security, Kazakhstan stands ready to continue promoting IAEA programmes and activities and to act as its reliable partner in these efforts.

Mr. Du Preez (South Africa)

Like other speakers before me, I wish, on behalf of my delegation, to thank Mr. Hans Blix for his comprehensive introduction of the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We would also like to thank the Ambassador of Japan for introducing the draft resolution on the report of the IAEA, of which South Africa is a sponsor.

1997 has been a truly remarkable year for the Agency, one which will be long remembered because of the many significant achievements.

In the first place, it has been the year of the fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Agency and the year of leadership change. The fortieth anniversary has been a time for reflection at the Agency on the achievements of the past 40 years and on the way forward. This was very much the theme of the recent General Conference of the Agency in Vienna, and I will not dwell on that issue here. South Africa was a founding member of the Agency, one of the original eight nations that met in December 1953 to negotiate its founding. The Agency has grown in stature over the years, and is now a highly regarded member of the United Nations family, fulfilling a vital function not only in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, but also in global disarmament through administration of its safeguards programme.

1997 has also been a year of leadership change at the Agency, with the departure of Mr. Hans Blix after 16 years at the helm. Many tributes have been paid to Mr. Blix in Vienna, at recent Board meetings and at the General Conference, and my delegation thinks it is a fitting tribute to him that 1997 should have seen such remarkable progress in a variety of areas. Following on the conclusion of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, we saw in 1997 the conclusion of two important new instruments: the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage. Very significant for global disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation was the adoption of the Model Additional Protocol for strengthened safeguards, which has already been adopted by a number of member States. It is to be hoped that this Protocol will form the basis of strengthened safeguards agreements between the Agency and all its members, and we would urge all those members to reflect on the historic importance of this development and on the need to support it.

We fully support the Agency in its efforts to resolve the outstanding questions of safeguards in Iraq and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and we call on those States to cooperate fully in the Agency's inspections.

While my delegation would agree that the Agency is basically in good shape, we should caution that there are areas that need improvement, as well as some worrying signs. Foremost among these is concern over the future of the Agency's technical cooperation activities. As members will realize, technical cooperation is of particular significance and importance for developing countries. Now that such progress has been made in areas such as nuclear safety, with the finalizing of the recent conventions, and in strengthening the safeguards system, it would be tragic if the Agency's technical cooperation programme -- which is, after all, designed to promote a fundamental activity of the Agency -- should suffer from a lack of adequate resources. South Africa would therefore appeal to all members of the Agency to ensure that this vital function is maintained at an appropriate level and continues to develop in order to meet the needs of countries.

I wish to conclude by saying how pleased the South African Government is to welcome the new Director General of the Agency, Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei of Egypt, to his post. We believe he is an excellent choice, and we know he brings with him to the post special insights into the needs of Africa and developing countries in general. We will fully support him in his endeavours to build on the undoubted success of his distinguished predecessor.

With these remarks, the South African delegation supports the adoption of draft resolution A/52/L.13.

Mr. Sotirov (Bulgaria)

On behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Bulgaria, I would like to associate myself with the statement made this morning by the representative of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union.

This year's regular session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) marked the fortieth year of the entry into force of its statute. The Agency has a special and important role, as a member of the United Nations family, in the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons, which should be addressed through cooperative efforts and solid commitments. It is a role that, given its record of activities, the IAEA has played commendably in the past four decades.

In addition to the relevant international agreements, national export-control mechanisms are an important tool for preventing nuclear proliferation. As a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Zangger Committee, Bulgaria shares the view that the right to develop the research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), is to be exercised in conformity with the non-proliferation obligations set out in articles I and II of that Treaty.

The problems related to illicit nuclear trafficking also remained high on the agenda of the international community in 1997, due to public-safety, health and proliferation risks. While considering that the primary responsibility in this field lies with the member States, we recognize the growing importance of international cooperation between them, as well as the role of the IAEA in supplementing the action of Governments and in providing coordination of measures to assist them in areas such as training, physical protection of nuclear materials and exchange of information.

Efforts to promote nuclear safety received a boost last year with the entry into force of the Convention on Nuclear Safety. Bulgaria is among the original Contracting Parties to the Convention and is pleased with the progress made by the first Preparatory Meeting in April 1997, as well as with the preparations for the meetings of the States parties for safety peer reviews, scheduled for next year. The Convention on Nuclear Safety is soon to be joined by other international legal instruments that will contribute to the establishment of what the 1997 Nuclear Safety Review calls "the global nuclear safety culture".

Let me note in this regard that the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, as well as the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, opened for signature at the forty-first session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's General Conference. Bulgaria is considering acceding to these Conventions, despite the significant financial problems connected with their implementation.

The year 1997 has been a successful one for the Agency in the area of technical-cooperation activities to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. New strategies and approaches in research and the transfer of nuclear technology have been put into place to strengthen the technical cooperation programmes of the IAEA and the capabilities of Member States to safely apply nuclear and radiation technologies aimed at achieving direct practical benefits.

The Republic of Bulgaria is among the countries using nuclear energy to generate electricity. In 1996, the output of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant (NPP) was 42 per cent of total electricity production. In the exploitation of nuclear power reactors, great attention is paid to ensuring nuclear safety and radiation protection. Our efforts are focused on three main objectives: first, enhancing the safe operation of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant units; secondly, increasing the efficiency of the Inspectorate on the Safe Use of Atomic Energy within the Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes; thirdly, improving the national nuclear legislation and its harmonization with that of the European Union.

The IAEA has provided us with considerable assistance in achieving these objectives by training Bulgarian inspectors in interregional and regional training courses and seminars, as well as by providing direct assistance through the technical-cooperation project entitled Strengthening the Capabilities of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority. As a country that operates nuclear power plants of the WWER type, we are interested in the Agency's extra-budgetary programme on the safety of this type of reactor. In our view, this programme, which has already shown its effectiveness, could be extended and may coordinate the planning and the technical assistance for upgrading and modernizing the Kozloduy nuclear power plant units.

Following international recommendations, the Programme for Ensuring the Safe Operation of Unit 1 Reactor Pressure Vessel during the Rest Lifetime was carried out in 1996. Detailed pressurized thermal shock (PTS) analyses, as well as fracture mechanical calculations of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), were accomplished. The results have clearly demonstrated that Unit 1 RPV can be safely operated for several years, without the introduction of additional technical measures. This conclusion was reached at the international meeting organized in Sofia in May this year in cooperation with the IAEA secretariat.

During the last few years a number of measures have been implemented to enhance the Kozloduy nuclear power plant's safety level. The elaboration of the Comprehensive Programme for the Enhancement of the Safety of the Kozloduy NPP Units 1-4 to Ensure Their Operation during the Rest Lifetime started in 1996. The aim of that Programme is to take appropriate measures that are economically justifiable and technically applicable to the characteristics of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. These measures are directed at eliminating the design shortcomings of the units in the context of the requirements of the current regulatory and technical documentation. The first draft of the Comprehensive Programme has been prepared and is currently under consideration. In cooperation with the Consortium of Western Regulators, experts of the Bulgarian National Safety Authority are working on a set of updated criteria for the reconstruction of units 1 to 4. The Upgrading Programme was elaborated to ensure the safe operation of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant Units 5 and 6. Agency experts were invited to review the draft programme and their recommendations have been taken into consideration in the final text. This programme will be implemented by a consortium of German, Russian and French companies, as well as by Westinghouse and the nuclear power plant itself. In 1996-97 a modern system for permanent monitoring of the radiation and meteorological conditions in the country was delivered and installed under the PHARE programme. A computer network has been set up in the regulatory body for processing, analysing and recording the information related to the application of radioactive sources in research, medicine, industry and agriculture.

The technical cooperation between the IAEA and Bulgaria continued successfully during the period under review. Our scientists and experts took part in the agency's Research Programme, the Advisory Group meetings and the Technical Committee meetings, as well as in international conferences, symposia and seminars organized by the IAEA. Bulgarian specialists were trained under the IAEA Fellowship Programme in outstanding institutes, as well as in interregional and regional training courses and seminars. Let me express our appreciation to the IAEA for the technical assistance it rendered to my country for national and regional projects.

In conclusion, allow me to pay tribute to the outgoing Director General, Mr. Hans Blix, who has guided the International Atomic Energy Agency's activities during a 16-year period with great integrity and wisdom, and to wish him all the best in his future endeavours. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei on the approval of his appointment as the next Director General by the forty-first session of the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference, and to assure him of the full support of the Republic of Bulgaria in handling the challenging and complex tasks facing the Agency and its member States.

Mr. Galuska (Czech Republic)

At the outset I wish to voice my country's support for the statement delivered by Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union and associated countries. I shall therefore limit my intervention to those issues that the Czech Republic considers of particular importance.

The forty-first session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) marked the fortieth anniversary of the Agency's existence, and as such was an occasion for drawing up a balance sheet of achievements and failures. Above all, it was an opportunity for setting new tasks and goals.

As we all know, the main objectives of the IAEA have been to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of nuclear energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. My country shares the opinion that in this respect the work of the Agency has been successful.

For most of the past four decades the development of peaceful uses of atomic energy took place in the environment created by the cold war and the bipolar world. It should be noted that the IAEA was one of those organizations that coped with this bipolarity day by day, by bringing people of different nationalities together under its roof, by providing them with a stage for the exchange of views and experiences, and by creating a suitable platform for setting up common security principles for the use of nuclear energy. The IAEA thus contributed to greater understanding, cooperation and progress, irrespective of existing political divisions.

Over the years the IAEA has also well proved its ability to reflect the needs of its member States. In accord with them, it gradually redirected its emphasis from general and broad support for all forms of peaceful uses of atomic energy and ionizing radiation to the elaboration of basic principles of nuclear safety and radiation protection. More recently, it has focused its efforts on the problem of radioactive wastes and the nuclear fuel cycle. This process has been accompanied by seeking new, improved forms for its own management and internal structure.

The mission and tasks of the IAEA in ensuring global security in respect to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons remain the top priority in the current and future activities of the Agency. The Czech Republic welcomes the adoption of the model text of the Protocol additional to the safeguards agreements as a concrete and positive outcome of the 93+2 programme. The Protocol substantively increases the inspection mandate of IAEA. I have the honour to inform the Assembly that the Czech Republic has initiated steps to accede to the Protocol.

When speaking about global safety culture, we have to place the safety of both nuclear power plants and other non-military facilities using nuclear resources for peaceful purposes in a certain international legal framework. The Czech Republic commends the efforts of the IAEA and its member States leading to the preparation and adoption of the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, all of which are introducing safety standards to the areas which had not yet been covered. My country is prepared to incorporate them into its legislation upon their signature, adoption and entry into force.

The development and use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation sources are closely linked to international cooperation and technical assistance programmes. These programmes help countries to gain new experiences, methods and approaches and at the same time to share their own experiences with others. The IAEA technical cooperation programmes, implemented at both the regional and national levels, are of particular technical, social and economic assistance to their beneficiaries.

One of the most intensively discussed topics at the last General Conference was article VI of the Statute. Those who have been interested or directly involved in the discussions would agree that we have been dealing with a very complex, complicated and sensitive issue, in which maximum understanding for partners' views and maximum flexibility are the necessary preconditions for success. The Czech Republic has stressed many times that it did not feel the urgent need for changes in the size or composition of the Board of Governors, in order to keep the work of the Board efficient and effective. However, in the course of discussions, we have decided in the spirit of compromise to accept a package solution proposed by Canada. At the same time, we would like to stress here that, should there be any attempt to deal with each aspect of the proposal separately, the Czech Republic could not go along with any solution leading to anything other than equal representation of all geographic areas, in accordance with recent developments in the membership of the IAEA, particularly in Europe.

I would like to conclude my intervention by expressing my country's appreciation and thanks to the outgoing Director General, Mr. Hans Blix, for his 16 years of work devoted to the Agency. It was a period of persistent pressure on the dynamic expansion of IAEA activities, on the one hand, and of limited funds on the other; a period when the IAEA had to cope with problems concerning Iraq, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Middle East peace talks and the effectiveness of safeguards. Mr. Blix has grappled with all of them successfully. He deserves our special thanks for his personal contribution to the success and high reputation of the IAEA. I thank him.

At the very last, I would like to wish the IAEA and its newly elected Director General, Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, much success in their future work.

Mr. Mistrik (Slovakia)

Slovakia, as an associated country to the European Union, supports and therefore endorses the statement made by Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Furthermore, I wish to make some additional remarks reflecting the position of my country on this agenda item.

Slovakia highly esteems the International Atomic Energy Agency as a crucial international organization in the area of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The IAEA's successful results over its 40 years of existence are considerable and it is beyond all doubt that the IAEA with its safeguard system plays an exceptional and significant role in the verification of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The results of the IAEA's work reflect the common endeavour of the States members and the Secretariat of that unique organization. Let me just add that Slovak experts are also actively involved in a wide range of activities related to the tasks of that organization.

A new, further step in the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and in the new arrangement of nuclear disarmament is the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Slovakia, in its national position as well as in its function as the Chair of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBT Organization (CTBTO), supports the aims of the States signatories which are interested in effective cooperation between CTBTO and IAEA. Slovakia hopes that the location of both organizations in Vienna will create excellent conditions for beneficial cooperation and help to improve verifying activities in the field of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Preparing the functional verifying system that will effectively control adherence to CTBT provisions is a complicated goal with many political aspects. Creating the network of laboratories and monitoring points and connecting this system to the International Data Centre in Vienna will require the common effort of the international community as well as Secretariat staff at the expert level.

Slovakia welcomes the fact that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as one of the pillars of global stability, confidence and nuclear disarmament, has been extended indefinitely. At this juncture, we appeal to all countries that have not signed a safeguards agreement with the IAEA, in compliance with article III of the NPT, to meet their commitments in accordance with the Treaty.

The system of safeguards is a generally recognized tool of control for compliance with the NPT, the importance of which grows with the increasing number of nuclear installations and the quantity of nuclear materials. We note with satisfaction the conclusion of the Safeguards Implementation Report for 1996, which states that nuclear materials and other items which had been declared and put under the safeguards have remained in peaceful use. On the other hand, we have noted the persistent problems in the safeguards implementation by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, particularly in verifying the initial declaration. We appeal to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to cooperate with the IAEA in order to finalize the process of verification of the initial declaration as soon as possible.

Slovakia supports IAEA programme "93 + 2", which represents the utilization of modern advanced verification techniques for better confidence building in future. We are convinced that this programme will become a reliable instrument for the control of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The IAEA has prepared a number of international treaties during the past few years. Slovakia was the first of those countries which possess nuclear reactors to ratify the Convention on Nuclear Safety. We note that this important Convention provides for adequate safety standards in the international environment. Slovakia also welcomes the fact that, in September 1997, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage and the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage were adopted. Those new legal instruments form an international regulation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy which, in today's world, is a notable factor of sustainable development.

Nuclear energy plays an important role in the Slovak economy. As a result of economic recovery, Slovakia has since 1994 experienced a rapid increase in electricity consumption, with an annual growth of approximately 8 per cent. On the other hand, there are a number of programmes focusing on energy savings. In 1996 the Slovak nuclear power plants generated almost half of the total electricity in Slovakia. An independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic assures the State's supervision of nuclear safety. Its decisions are based exclusively on technical considerations and underpinned by broad international cooperation, mainly through the IAEA. Indeed, the application of the latest scientific and technical knowledge helps to increase safety standards. Thanks to sustainable investments, Slovakia achieved a significant safety improvement in its nuclear power plants.

Technical cooperation has a special significance for Slovakia. In 1996 Slovak organizations took part in seven national and 18 regional projects. We are actively involved in research projects. Projects of technical cooperation became a part of technical development in our country. One of the most significant projects, the strengthening of the nuclear safety regulatory body, was successfully completed, and Slovakia now offers the skills it obtained to other countries.

In conclusion, please allow me to express our appreciation to the Director General of the IAEA, Mr. Hans Blix. During his 16 years in office, this international organization has become a generally recognized institution. We would like also to thank to the secretariat of the IAEA for its responsible approach to the work of the Agency. At the same time, we offer our congratulations to Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, the newly elected Director General. We are convinced that under his leadership the IAEA will successfully continue to play its role, and he can count on Slovakia's assistance.

Mr. Bohaievs'ky (Ukraine)

This year we mark the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Over this period, the Agency's record has proved outstanding in the areas of the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and in the prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons.

In the past year we have witnessed some significant events, both on a worldwide scale and directly related to the Agency's activities and cooperation between the Agency and Ukraine. Of exceptional importance were the signing here at the United Nations of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the entry into force of the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the completion of development of new international documents on the eve of the forty-first session of the Agency's General Conference. We definitely can say that the international legislation system regulating the issues of utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes has been set up.

Of no less importance was the completion of programme "93 + 2" and the development of the Model Additional Protocol to the safeguards agreement, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the safeguards system.

It is hard to overestimate the role of the Agency's safeguards in ensuring the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes; they are the major instruments for adherence to the international non-proliferation regime.

The agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA for the application of safeguards to all nuclear materials in all peaceful nuclear activities of Ukraine is in force and is being successfully fulfilled. The Government of Ukraine also supports the new initiatives of the Agency regarding the application of nuclear weapons non-proliferation safeguards.

To promote openness and control over the trafficking of nuclear materials and the sources of ionizing radiation, the Government of Ukraine has decided this year to join the relevant database of the Agency.

The problems of nuclear and radiation safety are extremely important for Ukraine, as well as for the entire world community. We are pleased to note that the IAEA Secretariat has played an important role in the efforts made in the States of Central and Eastern Europe to evaluate the safety of nuclear power plants.

Gradually, we are approaching international consensus regarding the safety of the Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. It is quite obvious that the issue of the safety of nuclear power stations cannot be solved within a short time. In addition to painstaking work, it also requires serious changes in legislation and management, as well as the development of an appropriate nuclear regulation regime. In other words, it is necessary to provide a high-standard safety culture on a governmental basis. One cannot expect quick results, but we should continue to move down this path.

The Parliament of Ukraine is presently reviewing a package of draft legislative acts on nuclear and radiation safety. In addition, the draft law entitled "On Ratification of Convention on Nuclear Safety" has been elaborated and submitted to the Parliament.

We support the Agency's activities aimed at creating a comprehensive regime of civil liability for nuclear damage, and confirm our adherence to the main principles of this regime. On 20 December 1996 Ukraine acceded to the 1963 Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage. The draft law on the introduction of corresponding changes to the national legislation has been elaborated, and it is presently under review in the Parliament.

Ukraine welcomes the recent adoption of two new instruments in the field of nuclear liability, namely, the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage. We also welcome the considerable progress in reaching an international consensus on approaches to promoting the safe disposal of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel, which resulted in the opening for signature of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. Ukraine was one of the first to sign, on 29 September 1997, these three instruments.

The problem of the safety of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant continues to give cause for concern. In this respect, let me briefly inform the Assembly about the progress in implementing the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding between the G-7, the European Commission and Ukraine that was signed in Ottawa on 20 December 1995.

In a situation of severe electric power crisis in Ukraine, it was not easy to take a decision to shut down Unit 1 of the Chernobyl station in 1996. Moreover, all the long-term safety-related programmes on this station have been terminated. Today only activities to maintain the appropriate safety level of the remaining reactors are being carried out, and short-term safety projects have been developed. All this demonstrates that Ukraine is preparing to fulfil its commitment to decommission the Chernobyl nuclear power plant by the year 2000.

In accordance with the Ottawa Memorandum, the precondition for the decommissioning of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is the completion of construction of compensating power units. However, the issue of financial support for this project has not been solved yet by international financial institutions in a way that may result in the revision of earlier decisions regarding the decommissioning of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

The Government of Ukraine, following its commitments under the memorandum of understanding, has every reason to be concerned at the fact that current activities aimed at seeking the necessary resources to finance the rescheduled Chernobyl nuclear-power plant shutdown project are not intensive enough and, with regard to a number of projects, are being unreasonably blocked.

The failure of the agreements reached on the Chernobyl project would produce a negative reaction in Ukraine and in other States as well as adversely affect our common cause: the safe utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Among the critical projects of the so-called Chernobyl package, the Government of Ukraine attaches special attention to the Shelter project on Unit 4 of the Chernobyl station, which was destroyed in the 1986 accident. We welcome the initiative of the United States Government regarding the "sarcophagus" project, which was supported by other G-7 countries and Ukraine. We also welcome the adoption, at the forty-first session of the IAEA General Conference, of the resolution on the international initiative for the Chernobyl sarcophagus, which calls on other States to contribute to the implementation of this unique project, which we hope will enhance the safety of the destroyed reactor.

In this respect, we are relying heavily on the pledging conference to be convened on 20 November in New York to consider options for funding this extremely important and unprecedented project. We hope that this initiative will receive adequate support.

Finally, we believe that the expected retirement of Mr. Hans Blix, the Agency's Director General, is also a landmark in the history of this organization. Sixteen years in office is quite a long period, and for Mr. Hans Blix, who has been closely associated with the most difficult problems that the international community has faced during the last decade, those years have been very productive. Mr. Blix has ably led the Agency through all those years with integrity and wisdom. We thank him for his achievements, which have become our common asset.

On behalf of our delegation, I also wish to take this opportunity to extend our sincere congratulations to Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei on his appointment as the next Director General of the Agency. We assure him of our continued support in promoting the Agency's important objectives.

Ms. Tolle (Kenya)

I wish at the outset to express, on behalf of the Kenya delegation, our appreciation to Mr. Hans Blix, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for the comprehensive overview of the Agency's activities in the last year, in addition to the Agency's report (GC(41)/8), which is before us. My delegation congratulates the Director General and the entire staff of the IAEA for their continued commitment and dedicated service to the international community in upholding and implementing the mandates entrusted to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The year 1997 marks a milestone in the history of the IAEA. It is the year the Agency has celebrated its fortieth anniversary while at the same time making a change in its top executive. We are all aware of the decision by Mr. Hans Blix to retire at the end of this month after 16 years of dedicated service to the Agency. It is in recognition of his pragmatic stewardship and outstanding contribution and service to the Agency that the forty-first IAEA General Conference honoured him with the title of Director General Emeritus. The effective role he has played over the years as Ambassador extraordinary for nuclear energy is well known by all. In Kenya, Mr. Blix will be fondly remembered for the many technical cooperation initiatives undertaken in the country during his tenure of office and his efforts under the Agency Statute to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, implement the safeguards regime and minimize the risk to life, health and the environment posed by nuclear energy. We wish Mr. Blix a fulfilling, successful and peaceful retirement.

In the last 40 years, the IAEA has distinguished its useful and reputable existence and service to Member States in the development of applications of nuclear technology for sustainable development. My delegation is pleased to note that the Agency's performance in the past year has been as commendable as in previous years, making it possible for Member States to derive maximum benefit from the peaceful uses of nuclear energy through its technical cooperation programme. Since the emergence of its first model project protocol, technical cooperation has increasingly been focused on end users, thereby enhancing the economic and social impact of nuclear energy. The success of the model project has invigorated the Agency's technical cooperation activities, which have resulted in new initiatives comprising model projects, country programme frameworks and thematic planning. Other initiatives include technical cooperation among developing countries, co-funding, and the use of targets and success criteria.

In our view, this approach is likely to produce the tangible social and economic results desired within the framework of the technical cooperation programme, and to be more responsive to national needs through the direct contribution of nuclear energy to the achievement of sustainable development priorities in a cost-effective manner, thereby increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programme. We therefore urge all our partners to give maximum support to this initiative, whose noble objectives, as envisaged by the Agency, are accelerating and enlarging the contribution of nuclear energy to human development.

The United Nations has repeatedly advocated the philosophy of technical cooperation among developing countries based on the recognition of the fact that different levels of technical advancement exist among developing countries, which, if applied to the maximum, can lead to mutual benefits. In this respect, we commend the Agency for its elaborate programme aimed at promoting regional cooperative activities as a means of accelerating nuclear technology transfer. The support extended by the IAEA to regional groupings such as the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Energy (AFRA), the Regional Cooperative Arrangements for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America (ARCAL) and the Regional Cooperative Arrangements for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology in Asia (RCA), as well as the regional projects under the technical cooperation programme are a clear demonstration of the visionary and keen interest by the Agency in fostering and strengthening regional cooperation. We believe that these endeavours will ultimately ensure optimal use of the available scarce resources and lead to the positive impact of science and technology among partner countries.

At the bilateral level, my delegation is grateful to the Director General and his staff for their contribution to the success of the technical cooperation programme in Kenya. Benefits derived from this programme in the various sectors of our economy include training and fellowships, technology, animal and human health, agriculture and nuclear safety.

In the field of safety standards and radiation safety, the project on the application of non-destructive testing techniques in manufacturing for quality control and for establishing acceptable standards of industrial goods in Kenya has been extended in the past year through the assistance of the Agency. This expansion has necessitated the enlisting of the Kenya Bureau of Standards to work with the International Standards Organization and other parties in drawing up a harmonized national qualification and certification regime.

Meanwhile, the involvement of the Agency in the agricultural sector has led to the development of new varieties of wheat with improved resistance to drought; the diagnosis and control of animal diseases; and the control of the tsetse fly and trypanosomiasis, among others.

Similarly, the Agency's technical cooperation programmes in Kenya have greatly helped the national health care delivery system, particularly in the areas of diagnostic radiology and radiography. The national focal point institutions for these two areas are currently in the process of disseminating the scientific and technical skills in this field to end users in the national health care system. Furthermore, the competent national institutions in my country are in the process of developing a technical cooperation project with the assistance of the Agency with a view to improving the diagnosis and therapy of cancer of the cervix among women.

The role of the IAEA in international efforts aimed at preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons has become increasingly important over the years. In this respect, Kenya appreciates the part played by the Agency, in cooperation with Member States, in dealing with the issue of illicit trafficking in nuclear devices and radioactive sources. The Agency's database programme, assistance to member States in improving the physical protection and control of nuclear material and border control measures, among other things, are all commendable achievements.

We believe, however, that in any collective move towards the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons leading to their complete elimination, the following major steps are paramount: first, it is vital to stop the production and use of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. In this regard, my delegation would like to render its support and urge the commencement of negotiations on a convention to prohibit the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear devices. Secondly, negotiations towards the elimination of nuclear weapons should be pursued as a matter of highest priority to complement all other efforts towards these objectives achieved so far in the field of nuclear disarmament, such as the extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the IAEA's adoption of a model protocol additional to existing safeguards agreements between States and the IAEA designed to strengthen the effectiveness and improve the efficiency of the IAEA safeguards regime.

We are pleased to note that the achievements of the IAEA have this year been further enhanced by the successful conclusion of two important diplomatic conferences in Vienna at the beginning of autumn. In this regard, we welcome the adoption of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management and the adoption of two instruments relating to nuclear liability, all of which were opened for signature at the outset of the forty-first regular session of the IAEA General Conference.

I would be remiss if I lost sight of the progress made by the Agency in promoting the role of women in science and technology. My delegation is pleased to note that, although the number of Professional women has not increased as much as it should have, progress has nonetheless been achieved. We have noted that the proportion of Professional women has risen from 11.7 per cent in 1982 to 18.6 per cent in 1997, while higher Professional-level posts occupied by women today include 11 women at the P-5 level and six at the D-1 level, as opposed to only two P-5s in 1982. We are trust that greater efforts will be made in identifying, training and recruiting competent and well-qualified female candidates from all regions of the world to balance the equation.

Let me conclude by stating that when Mr. Blix leaves office at the end of this month he will be handing over a reputable and viable organization to a distinguished successor, Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, who will ensure continuity and usher member States and the Agency into the next millennium. It is therefore our collective responsibility to ensure that the Agency is funded adequately and promptly. For its part, my Government will continue to render full support to the Agency's new leadership in responding to its demanding portfolio and to the challenges of tomorrow's world.

I wish to close by stating that Kenya will support draft resolution A/52/L.13.