General Assembly Session 61 meeting 43

Mr. Kodera (Japan)

At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Mohammed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his detailed briefing on the activities of the Agency over the past year. The IAEA will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment next year, and attention to and interest in its roles have never been greater than they are today. The fact that Mr. ElBaradei and the Agency were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year testifies to the continued strong interest of the international community in the IAEA and the high regard in which it is held.

In recent years, the role of nuclear energy has been re-evaluated, and the momentum for the promotion of nuclear energy has grown across the globe. Its use must be promoted in a manner that fully takes into account the various elements of nuclear proliferation, safety and security. From this perspective, the role of the IAEA has taken on even greater importance than in the past.

Japan has utilized nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, gaining the confidence of the international community and maintaining high transparency through the faithful implementation of its IAEA safeguards agreement, for nearly 30 years. As a result, in September 2004 implementation of the integrated safeguards commenced in Japan. Japan is committed to fully cooperating with the IAEA in ensuring strict implementation of the safeguards in Japan.

The second matter I would like to raise is the reinforcement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime. Notwithstanding achievements in this area -- including the progress made towards the universalization of the additional protocol, the amendment of the Nuclear Suppliers Group Guidelines and the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Safeguards and Verification -- the global non-proliferation regime still faces serious challenges, such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iranian nuclear issues. We must therefore redouble our efforts to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

In order to address the issue of promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, while ensuring consistency with non-proliferation requirements, various proposals to control nuclear fuel cycles under an international or multilateral framework have been put forward. They include the multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle -- multilateral nuclear approaches -- proposed by Mr. ElBaradei. Japan, for its part, has proposed the establishment of an IAEA standby arrangement system for nuclear fuel supply, with a view to complementing the content of the six-nation initiative on reliable access to nuclear fuel.

Finally, I would like to comment on two issues that pose an imminent challenge to the international community: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iranian nuclear issues. The announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on 9 October 2006, local time, that it had conducted a nuclear test shocked the entire international community. The announcement of the nuclear test, despite the call by the Security Council in a presidential statement that it refrain from testing, is totally unacceptable, all the more so given that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea recently launched ballistic missiles that can be used as a means of delivery of weapons of mass destruction.

These actions by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea pose a serious threat to peace and security in East Asia and to the international community as a whole. Japan strongly calls upon the Democratic People's Republic to respect Security Council resolution 1718 (2006), which was adopted unanimously on 14 October. The Democratic People's Republic must refrain from actions that would further aggravate the situation; abandon all nuclear weapons and its existing nuclear programmes; act in accordance with the conditions set out in the IAEA safeguards; provide information on steps on transparency measures; and implement the requirements set out in the resolution, including returning without any preconditions to the Six-Party Talks.

Japan, for its part, will fully implement resolution 1718 (2006), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter, and requests other Member States to do the same.

On Iran, it is regrettable that the country is continuing uranium enrichment in defiance of Security Council resolution 1696 (2006). The question here is not whether Iran has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Such a right can only be exercised when Iran has taken the required steps to restore the confidence of the international community lost as a result of its past activities. Japan strongly urges Iran to accept resolution 1696 (2006), immediately suspend uranium enrichment-related activities and return to the negotiating table. Japan believes this is the best option and will benefit all parties concerned. Japan will work in concert with the international community to achieve a peaceful and diplomatic resolution of this issue.

Today I have stated my Government's position on some of the challenges that confront the Agency. There are other important issues that have relevance to nuclear energy, such as anti-nuclear-terrorism measures; international cooperation for the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy; nuclear safety; and transport of radioactive materials.

In 2007 the preparatory process of the 2010 NPT Review Conference will begin. Japan will continue to work closely with the IAEA to ensure a smooth start to this process.

I conclude my statement by informing the General Assembly that Japan co-sponsored the draft resolution introduced by the representative of Slovenia, and will vote in favour of it.

Mr. Hamidon (Malaysia)

I join others in thanking Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his presentation of the Agency's annual report for 2005.

It was a year of notable success for the Agency in its efforts to ensure that the benefits of nuclear technology were shared globally for economic and social development. My delegation commends the excellent work and efforts of the Agency, under the dynamic leadership of Mr. ElBaradei, in fulfilling its mandate during the period under review.

Malaysia recognizes the value of nuclear technology for the achievement of sustainable development and the process of nation-building, and the value of the role played by the Agency in that regard. We reaffirm our support for the Agency in its mission to promote and facilitate the development of nuclear technology for peaceful uses, as embodied in article II of its Statute. In that connection, the Technical Cooperation Programme of the Agency remains a crucial component of its mandate and activities. Malaysia is both a donor to and a recipient of the Programme, and we commend the Department of Technical Cooperation of the IAEA for its continuous efforts in discharging its statutory mandate for the benefit of recipient member States, as well as for its creditable achievements.

The Director General of the IAEA, during his opening statement at the fiftieth regular session of the IAEA General Conference, identified three distinct phases: the establishment of mechanisms for the assurance of supplies of fuel for nuclear power plants as the first phase; the development of assurances of supply for the acquisition of nuclear power reactors as the second phase; and the conversion of existing uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities from national to multilateral operations as the third phase.

Although we support such a move towards improving assurances of supplies in the field of nuclear power generation technology, while also reducing the risks of the further proliferation of sensitive technologies that can be used in the development of nuclear weapons, that should by no means lead to any unilateral adoption of a norm that will affect the fundamental inalienable rights of the States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to engage in research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without discrimination. Such a move should also not distract global attention from the obligations of nuclear-weapon States to undertake to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament. Despite the overwhelming global attention to nuclear non-proliferation, Malaysia remains firmly convinced that the pursuit of general, complete and irreversible nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control is the most effective way of removing the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Nevertheless, my delegation believes that such a multilateral approach to the nuclear fuel cycle should provide a more economically attractive option for developing countries embarking on a nuclear power generation programme, particularly for those countries with a relatively small nuclear power programme involving only a handful of nuclear power plants.

Malaysia also believes that the strengthening of the existing nuclear-weapon-free zones and the establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones in all regions of the world, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned, constitute a positive step towards attaining the objective of global nuclear disarmament.

In that regard, Malaysia welcomes the signing of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Semipalatinsk on 8 September 2006. Malaysia considers the establishment of that newest nuclear-weapon-free zone to be an effective contribution to the strengthening of regional and global peace and security, and urges the nuclear-weapon States to provide unconditional assurances against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against all the States of that Zone.

In that connection also, Malaysia reiterates its call for the prompt establishment of a similar nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 487 (1981) and 687 (1991) and relevant General Assembly resolutions adopted by consensus. Malaysia calls upon Israel to promptly place all its nuclear facilities under IAEA full-scope safeguards, in accordance with the resolution 487 (1981).

Closer to home, my delegation remains concerned over the continued unwillingness of a majority of the nuclear-weapon States to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, which was signed by all 10 Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Malaysia appreciates the high premium placed by the global community on the issue of nuclear security, in view of the serious threats of mass transnational terrorism, including that of nuclear and radiological terrorism. However, this has led to the development of a multitude of overlapping initiatives by a number of international organizations, including the IAEA, in the same area. Such overlapping nuclear and other related international security initiatives have since imposed a heavy burden on the work of the relevant Government agencies, and posed new challenges to inter-agency coordination in member States.

In order to optimize the utilization of resources and ensure effective inter-agency coordination between the responsible authorities in member States, my delegation calls upon the IAEA to coordinate the implementation of its nuclear security initiatives with that of other relevant multilateral organizations, especially within the framework of the United Nations, such as between the IAEA and the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate of the Security Council. That is imperative, since different international organizations have different counterpart agencies in the member States.

On the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia again reiterates its recognition of the IAEA as the sole competent authority for the verification of the safeguards obligations of that country and other Member States, and further stresses that there should be no undue pressure or interference in the activities of the IAEA in that regard -- particularly on verification -- which could jeopardize its efficiency and credibility. While Malaysia took note of the assessment of the IAEA Director General that all nuclear material declared by Iran had been accounted for, we nevertheless urgently encourage Iran to continue to cooperate actively and fully with the IAEA, within the Agency's mandate, in order to resolve the outstanding issues towards the promotion of confidence and a peaceful resolution of the matter.

Turning to the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Malaysia deplores the nuclear test which that country claims to have conducted on 9 October 2006. Malaysia believes that the test is a serious setback to efforts aimed at keeping the region and the world free from nuclear weapons. It could also trigger an arms race in the region. Therefore, we call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to cease developing its capability to produce nuclear weapons and to return to the moratorium on nuclear testing.

We also strongly believe that the continued existence of nuclear weapons presents a grave threat to humanity, particularly by increasing the risk of proliferation. We therefore reiterate the importance of achieving the universal goal of complete and general disarmament. Malaysia urges all countries in the region to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from actions that could further heighten tension in the region. In that context, Malaysia further urges all parties concerned to return to the Six-Party Talks and resume negotiations with a view to resolving all outstanding issues amicably.

Finally, Malaysia would like to express once again its appreciation to Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, as well as to the IAEA secretariat, for their significant and valuable work in fulfilling the three pillars of the Agency's mandate. Malaysia pledges its full support to the IAEA, as one of the organizations of the United Nations system that continue to uphold and maintain their central and universal role in addressing the enormous challenges ahead.

Mr. Musa Daffalla (Sudan)

I should like at the outset to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to the President for her efforts in organizing today's debate and guiding the Assembly's work so judiciously and skilfully, in fulfilment of the great aspirations and responsibilities of this major organ of our international Organization.

We also express our thanks and appreciation to Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his comprehensive report, which contains a detailed account of the Agency's work and programmes in the area of the development of the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and ensuring the safety of nuclear and radiological facilities. The warm reception he received and the honours bestowed upon him by numerous academic and scientific institutions reflect the growing trust placed in the Agency, and show how much the Director General is appreciated in higher scientific circles and by civil organizations' personalities.

Fifty years after the creation of the IAEA, despite the enormous transformations witnessed in the world, the Agency has remained a haven of cooperation for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and for development. My delegation welcomes the final statement of the meeting organized by the Agency in Paris in March last year to study the role of nuclear power in the future, which affirmed that nuclear power can contribute significantly to meeting the energy requirements of a large number of developing and developed countries in the twenty-first century and enhancing international development.

We pay tribute to the Agency for its efforts to heed international public opinion regarding the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity. The report highlights the growing importance of nuclear energy in improving standards of living in developing countries, given that such energy provides 16 per cent of the world's electricity.

My delegation also supports the Agency's efforts, undertaken in cooperation with various scientific partners, to create new and improved vaccines in the context of the nuclear medicine programme, especially with regard to cancer, which is one of the most deadly diseases.

Despite the fact that the report indicates that 156 States have concluded safeguards agreements with the Agency, and that their nuclear programmes and facilities have remained peaceful, my delegation recalls the Final Document of the meeting of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in Cuba, which reaffirmed the right of States to engage in research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without discrimination, in accordance with international obligations. It also reaffirmed that the IAEA should remain the only competent authority to verify the obligations of member States regarding safeguards. States must therefore refrain from bringing pressure to bear on the Agency or interfering in its activities, so as not to undermine its credibility or subvert its effectiveness.

We therefore call for an approach based on equity and justice in dealing with outstanding issues in relation to certain countries in this regard. Double standards must be renounced and dialogue and constructive negotiation reaffirmed, with a view to reaching an effective solution in accordance with international obligations.

My delegation supports the statement made by the Director General this morning. We support peaceful solutions and believe that international concerns and expectations in the area of peace and security must be upheld. Every year my delegation reaffirms that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is the linchpin of international peace and security. The Sudan supports the aspirations of all geographic regions to declare themselves free from nuclear weapons. However, the Middle East has been spinning its wheels for decades because of the refusal of Israel, the only country in the Middle East that possesses nuclear weapons, to sign the Treaty and its additional protocol. Many members of the international community have appealed to Israel to change its position and sign the Treaty so as to put an end to the tension in the region and pave the way for comprehensive peace, which benefits everyone. If Israel does not do so, the causes of tension will remain and States will seek to possess nuclear weapons for self-defence and deterrence purposes. Declaring the Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone would be the best way to bridge the gap and consolidate regional security and international peace.

My delegation greatly appreciates the efforts of the Technical Cooperation Department in assisting countries to upgrade their country and regional programme frameworks. We take note of the budget set by the Agency for the African continent. However, greater funds are required if the continent is to achieve its goals. Additional resources must be provided in the general budget of the IAEA, and donors must be encouraged to provide grants in support of relevant programmes in Africa. We are hopeful that Africa will receive the major share this year, as Europe did last year. We call on the Agency to increase its funding to the least developed countries, which account for only 16 per cent of general expenditure. Helping developing countries to upgrade their legislative systems complements the efforts of the Agency in implementing technical cooperation programmes.

We hope that effective efforts will be made to combat malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, since malaria is the deadliest disease in Africa, and to eliminate the tsetse fly, with sophisticated technologies. Great hopes are pinned on these efforts to achieve social and economic development in developing countries.

Mr. Mayoral (Argentina)

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