42nd IAEA General Conference

Colombia, Ambassador Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia, Resident Representative to the IAEA:

In reviewing national developments, he noted that Colombia restructured its nuclear policy and management in 1997, leading to the redistribution of functions between two institutes. Thereafter, an IAEA safety review team evaluated the new infrastructure, a mission for which he expressed appreciation and which he said enabled a number of improvements. He further noted that the country recently modernized its research reactor, including the change to low-enriched fuel, and that it is now being used only for teaching and research purposes. Presently, an inventory is being taken of all radioisotopes used in the country and of the authorized organizations applying them. He also noted that a storage site had been built for spent radiation sources with the assistance of the IAEA. A major objective is the establishment of an effective and independent regulatory system for radiation protection and radiation monitoring, he said. In this connection, Colombia participates in regional and global initiatives, including a seismic monitoring project being supported in the country by Canada. In closing, he applauded the Agency's efforts in areas of technical cooperation, and said that the new agreement for ARCAL will strengthen regional programmes, although greater resources are needed. He expressed his country's regret over the nuclear tests this year and the limited progress that had been made in the field of disarmament, and called for the resumption of talks through the Conference on Disarmament.

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Colombia, Ambassador Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia, Resident Representative to the IAEA:



In reviewing national developments, he noted that Colombia restructured its nuclear policy and management in 1997, leading to the redistribution of functions between two institutes. Thereafter, an IAEA safety review team evaluated the new infrastructure, a mission for which he expressed appreciation and which he said enabled a number of improvements. He further noted that the country recently modernized its research reactor, including the change to low-enriched fuel, and that it is now being used only for teaching and research purposes. Presently, an inventory is being taken of all radioisotopes used in the country and of the authorized organizations applying them. He also noted that a storage site had been built for spent radiation sources with the assistance of the IAEA. A major objective is the establishment of an effective and independent regulatory system for radiation protection and radiation monitoring, he said. In this connection, Colombia participates in regional and global initiatives, including a seismic monitoring project being supported in the country by Canada. In closing, he applauded the Agency's efforts in areas of technical cooperation, and said that the new agreement for ARCAL will strengthen regional programmes, although greater resources are needed. He expressed his country's regret over the nuclear tests this year and the limited progress that had been made in the field of disarmament, and called for the resumption of talks through the Conference on Disarmament.