Norges innlegg på IAEAs generalkonferanse 26. – 30. september 2005

Mr President,

I would like to echo the previous speakers’ congratulations on your election as President of the 49 ^th> General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency. And I would also like to congratulate Dr ElBaradei on his reappointment as Director General. Norway further congratulates Belize on their membership in the Agency.

Norway aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. I will therefore confine myself to highlighting some elements that are of particular interest and concern to Norway.

Mr President,

The failure of the 2005 NPT Review Conference and the inability to reach any agreement on disarmament and non-proliferation issues at the World Summit have shaken the foundations of our global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. The hard-won consensus on the balance between non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy – the three pillars on which the NPT is based – may unravel.

This is particularly unfortunate in view of all the pressing security challenges we are facing, such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons to new States and groups, illicit trafficking in nuclear technology, the existence of a large amount of unsecured nuclear material, the growing fear that nuclear weapons might be given a more prominent and additional role in security policies, and insufficient progress in nuclear disarmament.

As is well known, Norway, together with six other countries from different regions of the world, tabled concrete texts for the Summit Outcome Document. The initiative was generally well received. Regrettably, the proposal did not command the required consensus.

Norway will take up the challenge laid out by the UN Secretary-General and will continue to seek consensus and concrete results. We will do this together with Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Romania, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and all the other countries that have supported our efforts.

We must foster a new global consensus on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. And the IAEA must be part of that process.

Mr President,

Compliance with arms control treaties is vital for our collective security. We have to deal with difficult compliance matters in a credible manner. The IAEA has a key role in verifying that NPT States Parties honour their non-proliferation obligations.

Since October 2003, good progress has been made in correcting the breaches of Iran’s obligations under its safeguards agreement. However, in view of its history of concealment and disinformation, there remains a confidence deficit that hampers a political solution. We therefore urge Iran to heed the Agency’s plea for transparency measures that go beyond the formal requirements of the Additional Protocol, in order to bring the investigations to a conclusion as soon as possible.

It is up to Iran to allow diplomacy to do its job in removing our justified concerns about its nuclear programme. We must avoid steps that might escalate the situation. Its should be in the interest of all parties to pave the way for resumption of negotiations.

Norway welcomes the agreement reached in the Six-party talks concerning the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. We expect all parties to live up to their commitments and to take coordinated steps in line with the principle of commitment for commitment, action for action, aimed at implementing the 1992 joint Declaration of the de-nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Mr President,

The IAEA verification programme is essential for maintaining the confidence needed for the NPT to be credible and to function well. The Additional Protocol will give the IAEA a broader basis on which to draw conclusions as regards safeguards.

It is encouraging that an increasing number of countries are concluding Additional Protocols. But progress is too slow. We must seek universal implementation of this improved verification instrument.

We reiterate our call to all States to conclude and enforce Additional Protocols as soon as possible.

This General Conference should state that the Comprehensive Safeguards, together with the Additional Protocol, should be considered the verification standard and also a condition for taking part in peaceful nuclear co-operation.

We welcome the establishment of the new Verification Committee. We are ready to share our experience of the Integrated Safeguards arrangements with the IAEA. We also encourage the agency to continue and expand its technical support to Member States in implementing IAEA safeguards, and to continue to strengthen the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the verification programme. Norway will promote further steps to enhance the effectiveness of the IAEA verification regime.

Norway welcomes additional voluntary offer arrangements by the Nuclear Weapon States for improved protection and control of nuclear material.

We also urge the Nuclear Weapons States to provide greater security and transparency regarding their fissile material holdings. This would be an important confidence-building measure, and would serve our non-proliferation efforts as well as contribute substantially to disarmament efforts.

Mr President,

Full implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 is vital in order to deny terrorist groups from acquiring nuclear material and technology. We call upon all States to adopt and enforce effective laws that prohibit non-State actors from pursuing WMD-related activities. With its substantial base of technical competence and information, the IAEA is well positioned to assist States in fulfilling the obligations set out in resolution 1540. Norway will contribute to this end and will explore possible co-operation with the IAEA.

As the current Chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Norway is satisfied that recognition of NSG control measures as an international bench march has grown.

Norway has signed the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, which was adopted earlier this year, and considers it to be an important instrument in this regard. This convention should enter into force as soon as possible.

Mr President,

A proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycle is in the interest of all States. It will facilitate our right to benefit from nuclear energy and technology as stipulated by the NPT.

Norway welcomes the recommendations by the IAEA Expert Group on Multilateral Approaches to Nuclear Fuel Cycles. These recommendations should inspire our efforts to reach a mechanism whereby States are assured supplies of nuclear fuel, provided they refrain from developing the capacity to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium. It may take time to achieve this. In the meantime, we call for a moratorium on the construction of facilities for sensitive technologies.

Curbing the use of high enriched uranium (HEU) is another measure to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation. We should therefore set ourselves the long-term target of reaching agreement on a prohibition of civilian uses. Concrete steps can be taken now.

Member States should commit themselves to convert civilian nuclear installations from HEU to low enriched uranium as soon as technically feasible. The IAEA should support and promote such a conversion process. Norway would encourage the IAEA to organise a seminar on the technical challenges we are confronted with in this regard. It is equally important to implement international initiatives currently underway to secure and eliminate HEU, such as the G-8 Global Partnership and the Global Threat Reduction Initiative. All Member States should increase the level of transparency for HEU holdings. The IAEA should develop guidelines for the management of highly-enriched uranium in the civilian sector along the lines of those for reporting plutonium.

Mr President,

The IAEA has a clear mandate in relation to a wide range of nuclear activities. International IAEA standards and norms relating to nuclear safety and security are actively utilised to ensure good practices and a sustainable environment, to meet new threats, and to reduce the risk of nuclear and radiological accidents.

Norway welcomes in particular the amendments to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (CPPNM) agreed in July this year. We must now move towards global adherence to the strengthened convention.

Ever since we joined the G-8 Global Partnership, the security of nuclear installations and nuclear materials has been a core element of Norway’s co-operation efforts. Norway will continue to play a leading role in efforts to improve international co-operation to ensure that adequate standard tools and mechanisms for responding to nuclear and radiological emergencies are in place.

We will promote full implementation of the International Action Plan for Strengthening the International Emergency Preparedness and Response System. We consider this to be an important instrument for establishing adequate procedures for preparedness and response to nuclear and radiological emergencies. We must ensure that the Action Plan is adequately funded and that resources are allocated through the regular budget process.

Norway supports the efforts to examine and improve international regulation relating to maritime transport and radioactive material, and the established dialogue between shipping and coastal states. We expect concrete and speedy results in the coming year from the international expert group on nuclear liability.

Mr President,

Peaceful use of nuclear energy and technology must not be allowed to harm the environment. The international community should intensify its efforts to protect the environment against the harmful effects of radiation. The Second International Conference on Radioactivity in the Environment in Nice next week should produce a concrete outcome.

Norway welcomes the increased support of and adherence to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, and the positive outcome of the third review conference in April this year. The forthcoming meeting in December on the application of the Code of conduct on the safety of research reactors should contribute to enhanced focus on research reactor safety and international transparency.

Norway considers good national control of radioactive sources as one of the most important tools for preventing incidents and accidents, including malicious uses. The Code of conduct for the safety and security of radioactive sources is an important tool in achieving this. All countries should adopt the standards set by the code and supply the Agency with sufficient resources to assist countries in their implementation of the code.

Mr President,

We all need to contribute in order to strengthen the capacity of the Agency. Necessary resources must to be provided. Also, Norway encourages the Secretariat to look into ways to recruit more women to the organisation. Good governance in a modern organization requires contributions from women on an equal footing with men.

Mr President,

The proliferation challenges facing us are serious. We must overcome our disappointment with the NPT Review Conference and the World Summit. We must bring greater determination to our efforts to forge a new global non-proliferation consensus. But we cannot do so without a strong and credible IAEA.