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Features: Radioactive Sources

Update on IAEA Action Plan to Combat Nuclear Terrorism

Excerpt: IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei Statement to Board of Governors

June 2002
Experts at International Conference Look to Reinforce Security of Radioactive Sources Against Potential Terrorist Threats

Experts at International Conference Look to Reinforce Security of Radioactive Sources Against Potential Terrorist Threats

Since the Board discussion in March, there has been substantial progress in implementing the Agency's nuclear security activities described in GOV/2002/10. Six Member States (Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the USA) and one non-governmental organization - the Nuclear Threat Initiative - have pledged extrabudgetary funding totaling over $3.8 million - and other Member States (Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Romania and Turkey) have pledged or already contributed in kind. A co-ordinated action plan has been prepared covering two years of activities within the currently available resources. The plan is based on priorities previously established and takes into account the views of Member States and the advice of the Advisory Group on Nuclear Security (AdSec).

Two International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) missions have been conducted in Romania and in the Czech Republic, one follow-up mission has been performed in Bulgaria and another two are being planned in Lithuania and Ukraine. Physical protection training courses and Design Basis Threat workshops have been held in Egypt, Russia, Ukraine and the USA. A State System of Accounting and Control (SSAC) training course was held in Russia, and another will take place in Algeria this month. Training on combating illicit trafficking was provided to government officials in Cyprus. And the Secretariat has been working with Russia to develop a curriculum for training law enforcement officers on the handling of nuclear and radioactive sources.

Control of Radioactive Sources

With regard to the Action Plan aim to improve the control of radioactive sources, you may recall that I reported to the Board in March on Agency assistance in retrieving a number of sources found in Georgia. I am pleased to report to you that in April, representatives from eight countries, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Agency reached agreement on a plan to conduct radiological surveys of selected areas in Georgia, to locate and secure additional orphaned sources. The first phase of surveys is beginning this week under a TC project (supported by in-kind contributions from France, India, Turkey and the USA), and will be carried out by teams that include more than 30 Georgian specialists.

I would also note that, since the last Board, we have been called upon to provide assistance to two additional Member States - Afghanistan and Uganda - in securing orphan sources. The case in Afghanistan involved a powerful cobalt-60 source from a former hospital radiotherapy machine and several smaller sources recovered from disused university laboratories. Given current conditions in Afghanistan, this recovery operation received particular media attention, and highlighted both the safety and security issues associated with radioactive source control.

These activities represent, in my view, an impressive start to the implementation of the Action Plan, and demonstrate the Agency ability to respond rapidly to emerging priorities. Much more, however, clearly needs to be done. I call therefore on all Member States to contribute the additional resources needed for full implementation of the Action Plan.

Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

With regard to the effort to strengthen the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material - including the extension of its scope to cover nuclear material not only in international transport but also in domestic transport, storage and use, as well as the protection of nuclear material and facilities from sabotage - the group preparing a draft amendment to the Convention met in Vienna in March and is due to meet again here next week. I have encouraged the group to complete its work at this coming meeting, with the hope that a diplomatic conference can be held by the end of the year to adopt the amendment.