Assembly affirms confidence in IAEA, urges co-operation regarding peaceful uses of nuclear energy - International Atomic Energy Agency

UN Chronicle, Jan, 1986

Assembly affirms confidence in IAEA, urges co-operation regarding peaceful uses of nuclear energy

The General Assembly on 8 November affirmed its confidence in the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the application of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

By adopting resolution 40/8 without a vote, the Assembly also urged all States to strive for effective and harmonious international co-operation in carrying out the work of the Agency, pursuant to its Statute, in promoting the use of nuclear energy and the application of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes; in strengthening technical assistance and co-operation for developing countries; and in ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the Agency's safeguards system.

Report: On 31 October, in reviewing the IAEA annual report (GC(XXIX)/748), the Assembly heard IAEA Director-General Hans Blix state that despite a zero real growth budget, the Agency in 1984 had expanded its promotional activities, notably in its co-operation with developing countries and its strengthening of the safeguards activities. In February 1985, an agreement had been signed following the voluntary offer of the Soviet Union to accept IAEA safeguards on some of its peaceful nuclear installations, and the first inspection under that agreement had taken place in August. In September, China had also announced its intention to place some of its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.

The development of new types of more efficient nuclear fuel and longer cycles of operation had contributed to making the economic picture for nuclear power even more positive than a few years ago. In most areas, nuclear power retained a clear economic edge over coal. Standardization in design of plants, streamlined regulatory procedures and rigid management controls were keeping costs under control.

As financing was a major constraint, nuclear power could be brought more within the reach of developing countries by using small and medium-sized reactors, he said. The Three Mile Island accident in the United States in 1979 had seriously damaged confidence in nuclear power. In reality, during some 3,600 reactor years, not a single fatal radiation accident had been reported in a commercial nuclear plant. Better maintenance and operation reduced the number and limited the consequences of accidents and incidents that did occur.

Responsibility for the management of spent fuel and ultimate disposal of radioactive waste rested with the Governments, he observed. No scientific or technological breakthroughs were needed to achieve safe waste disposal over the long periods of time during which high-level wastes remained active. The construction of disposal installations of adequate capacity for intermediate storage of high-level waste and preparation of sites or installations for low-level and medium-level waste could allay concern over waste disposal.

Total available resources--$36 million in 1984--for technical assistance and co-operation through the IAEA had almost doubled since 1980. More than 40 per cent of the Agency's technical co-operation projects in food and agriculture were under way in Africa.

To suggest, as some had, that safeguards verification and inspections constituted an "inroad" on the sovereignty of States was "erroneous", Mr. Blix stated. Safeguards only took place at the invitation of a State and on the basis of an agreement.

Safeguards "give the world a precedent of verification of nuclear activities" in States using it. It was a precedent "more interesting" now that inspections had been carried out in the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France and now that China intended to conclude a safeguards agreement.