At its concluding session today, the IAEA General Conference adopted resolutions on measures to strengthen the IAEA´s programmes on technical cooperation, nuclear science, technology and applications activities as well as international cooperation in nuclear safety and waste management. Two further resolutions, one on safeguards, and another one on measures to protect against nuclear terrorism, were also adopted by the delegates.
The resolution on the IAEA´s technical cooperation activities, calls "on the Secretariat to continue to facilitate and to enhance the transfer of nuclear technology and know-how among Member States for peaceful uses as embodied in the Agency´s TC programme."
The resolutions on the Agency´s activities relating to nuclear science, technology and applications, touched on issues such as the development of innovative nuclear technology, nuclear power and non-power nuclear applications, the development and deployment of small and medium-sized nuclear reactors, and plans for desalination of sea water to produce potable water economically using small and medium-sized nuclear reactors. Resolutions on the IAEA´s Programme for Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT), the use of isotope hydrology for water and resources management, and on providing support to the African Union´s Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (AU-PATTEC), were also adopted.
With regards to the issue of nuclear, radiation and transport safety and waste management, the resolution adopted "e;urged the Secretariat to continue and strengthen, subject to available financial resources, its mandatory efforts... focusing particularly on mandatory activities and on technical areas and regions where the need for improvement is greatest.&qoute;
The resolution on strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the safeguards system calls "e;on all Member States to give their full and continuing support to the Agency in order to ensure that the Agency is able to meet its safeguards responsibilities,"e; urging all States which have yet to bring into force comprehensive safeguards agreements to do so as soon as possible.
On the issue of nuclear security and measures to protect against nuclear terrorism, the General Conference adopted a resolution which "calls upon all Member States to provide political, financial and technical support, including in-kind contributions, to improve nuclear and radiological security and prevent nuclear and radiological terrorism."
A resolution on the implementation of safeguards in the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) "calls upon the DPRK to come into full compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons" and "to cooperate promptly with the Agency in the full and effective implementation of IAEA comprehensive safeguards and to resolve any outstanding issues that may have arisen due to the long absence of safeguards."
The resolution also stresses the General Conference´s desire for a "peaceful resolution through dialogue to the DPRK nuclear issue, leading to a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula, with a view to maintaining peace and security in the region."
A resolution on the application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East calling for a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone was also adopted after being put to the vote.