International Atomic Energy Agency Information Circular (Unofficial electronic edition)

INFCIRC/576 30 October 1998 GENERAL Distr. Original: ENGLISH

1. The Director General has received a note verbale, dated 1 July 1998, from the Permanent Mission to the IAEA of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In keeping with the United Kingdom's commitment to improve transparency and public confidence in the management of nuclear materials, the government of the United Kingdom, in the attachment of the note verbale of 1 July 1998, makes available information on its national holdings of civil high enriched uranium as at 31 December 1997.

2. In the light of the request expressed by the United Kingdom in its note verbale of 1 July 1998 the text of the note verbale and its attachment are enclosed herewith for the information of all Member States.

INFCIRC/576
Attachment

Note No: 014/98

The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations and the International Organisations in Vienna presents its compliments to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and has the honour to refer to its Note Verbale No 001/97 of 1 December 1997 enclosing Guidelines specifying the policies that the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has decided to apply to the management of plutonium.

That document recognised the sensitivity of high enriched uranium and the need to manage stocks of such material with the same sense of responsibility as the plutonium covered by the Guidelines. The Government of the United Kingdom's Note Verbale mentioned above, enclosing the Guidelines, also referred to the United Kingdom Government's belief that the management of high enriched uranium should be subject to similar guidelines.

In keeping with their commitment to improve transparency and public confidence in the management of nuclear materials, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern ireland have decided to publish information on national holdings of civil high enriched uranium. The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has the honour to enclose with this Note a statement of the United Kingdom's national holdings of civil high enriched uranium as at 31 December 1997.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland requests the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to circulate this Note and its attachment to all Member States for their information.

The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency the assurances of its highest consideration.

(Stamped)
UNITED KINGDOM MISSION
VIENNA

1 July 1998