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General
Debate
Statements
during the morning session by IAEA Member States included those
by France (on behalf of the European Union), Japan, United States,
China, Egypt, Republic of Korea, and Sudan.
Highlights of selected statements
follow (Full text are available in pdf format,as indicated):
 France:
The statement 
addressed key aspects of safety, technology, and verification. States
were urged to move quickly to ratify international conventions in
the field of nuclear safety and spent fuel and radioactive waste
management. IAEA efforts toward improving the safety and security
of radioactive sources were recognized and support expressed for
a code of conduct in this field. Regarding technology transfer,
the significant financial support of EU Members to the Agency’s
Technical Cooperation Fund was noted, and steps were welcomed to
strengthen programmes contributing to national development goals
and plans. Regarding verification, EU States were reported as making
rapid progress in the ratification of Additional Protocols, with
those who have not yet completed the process making every effort
to do so. (The statement was delivered on the behalf of the European
Union; other States that joined the statement were Bulgaria, Cyprus,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Turkey.)
 Japan:
The statement
addressed topics of nuclear safety, including lessons learned from
the Tokaimura accident last year in Japan; nuclear safeguards and
verification, notably the Additional Protocols for strengthened
safeguards; and the application of nuclear technologies for electricity
production and other needs. Regarding safety, Japan has taken steps
to improve safety oversight and controls in applying lessons learned
from the Tokaimura accident, and is working hard to regain public
trust. A research and development plan for nuclear development is
being drawn up, whose completion is expected later this year. Regarding
verification, Japan strongly supports measures for ensuring universal
adherence to Additional Protocols and has contributed extrabudgetary
resources to the Agency in support of this goal. The country also
will host a workshop next year to further awareness and understanding
of the Additional Protocol and strengthened safeguards. Regarding
nuclear technology, Japan continues to support nuclear power development
for environmental and other reasons, as well as the varied applications
of nuclear technologies in other fields. In November this year,
it will co-sponsor with Thailand a forum for nuclear cooperation
in Asia.
United States: The
statement
opened with a message from President Bill Clinton, in which he expressed
the importance of strong and consistent support from all States
to the IAEA, which he said provides "incalculable contributions"
to peace and security. Progress and challenges in areas of safety,
technology, and verification emphasized the imperative of ensuring
safe operation of nuclear power plants and the safe decommissioning
of older reactors. The US further pledged to make its research and
technology for geological disposal of radioactive waste open to
all IAEA Member States. Regarding technology, the US recently concluded
an agreement with France to advance nuclear technologies, and the
US has attained progress in related work to develop new reactor
designs. In support of technology transfer through the IAEA for
peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the US announced it would pay its
full $18 million share to the Technical Cooperation Fund. Regarding
verification, the US places top priority on the universal adherence
to Additional Protocols for strengthened safeguards. It further
supports an end to the new production of fissile material and improved
controls on existing nuclear materials. Noting progress through
the Trilateral Initiative with Russia and the IAEA, the statement
said the verification agreement is nearing completion, enabling
the IAEA to verify hundreds of tons of fissile materials removed
from US and Russian military stockpiles. The goal is to submit the
agreement to the IAEA Board in December this year. Also noted was
the conclusion of a bilateral US-Russian agreement that will result
in destruction of 64 metric tons of US and Russian weapons-grade
plutonium, and the US fully expects the IAEA to play a role in monitoring
the agreement. The US and Russia also recently signed an agreement
with the Russian Navy to expand cooperation for the protection of
Russian naval nuclear fuel from theft or diversion.
China: The statement
reaffirmed China’s interest in seeing a better balance between the
technology and safeguards activities of the Agency and expressed
the view that greater attention needs to be given to peaceful nuclear
development in developing countries, notably in areas related to
basic human needs. Regarding safety, China commended the preparation
of a code of conduct on the safety of radiation sources and security
of radioactive materials, seeing it as a guide for drafting national
regulations. Regarding verification issues, China looks forward
to the outcome of the verification agreement under the Trilateral
Initiative for verification of ex-military material in the US and
Russia. It further attaches importance to the physical protection
of nuclear materials as a national regulatory matter, and does not
consider that the time is appropriate for setting binding international
provisions in this area. Overall, China urged the Agency to fulfill
four main missions: to scientifically assess and promote applications
of nuclear technology; to organize the exchange of information and
technology on nuclear safety and waste issues; to support technological
development of new generation nuclear power plants; and to strengthen
training and technical assistance to developing countries to improve
national nuclear infrastructures.
 Egypt:
The statement emphasized the country’s strong support for nuclear
applications in various fields, noting that Egypt has opened its
research facilities for regional nuclear cooperation through scientific
training and workshops on safety and nuclear techniques for economic
and social development. Areas of key interest are the development
of water resources, health care, safe waste management, and agricultural
production, including the control of pests threatening harvests
and animals. Egypt will host an IAEA conference in May 2001 on the
applications of small and medium sized reactors, specifically for
desalinization of seawater and electricity production. The country
has initiated an "ambitious" project for the application of radiation
technology to combat the Medfly, an endeavour expected to take several
years. Regarding nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards, the statement
reaffirmed Egypt’s support of comprehensive safeguards in the Middle
East region covering all nuclear facilities and the establishment
of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region, and recalled the outcomes
of the NPT Review Conferences on this issue. The importance and
need for continued dialogue among all Parties was emphasized to
resolve issues, establish regional verification arrangements, and
ensure the region’s peace and stability.
Republic of Korea:
The statement
expressed concern over environmental problems facing the world,
and urged greater efforts to advance public acceptance and understanding
of nuclear energy’s role for meeting electricity needs. Korea particularly
commended the Agency’s contributions to international forums related
to the Kyoto Protocol and climate change issues. Reviewing Korea’s
nuclear programme, the statement noted that eight more nuclear power
units are planned by 2015 and that progress is being made in developing
the design of the next generation reactor in Korea. In areas of
technology transfer, Korea has proposed to host the office of the
Regional Cooperative Agreement for the Asia-Pacific region, and
has expanded activities for nuclear education and training, notably
in areas of safety. To promote global efforts, Korea further has
proposed an international nuclear university for educating nuclear
professionals linked to a nuclear network of education and research
institutes. Also reaffirmed was the country’s commitment to host
the second Youth Nuclear Congress in 2002. Regarding safety issues,
Korea will ratify the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel
Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and it
is developing an information system for tracing and monitoring all
processes involved in the use of radioactive sources. Regarding
verification, the statement reaffirmed Korea’s support of non-proliferation
measures, and noted that in the interests of nuclear transparency,
the country has been implementing its own national inspection system
since 1997 to complement Agency inspection activities. Referring
to the limited progress in IAEA implementation of safeguards in
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the statement expressed
the view that the current positive climate in the Korean peninsula
signals a new direction, and expressed the hope that this would
soon be reflected in DPRK-IAEA relations and the return of the DPRK
to membership of the Agency.
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