Assembly urges co-operation with IAEA to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy - United Nations General Assembly, International Atomic Energy Agency; includes related articles on safeguards

UN Chronicle, Feb, 1987

The General Assembly on 11 November urged all States to strive for effective and harmonious co-operation in carrying out the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); in promoting the use of nuclear energy and the application of the necessary measures to enhance further the safety of nuclear installations; in strengthening technical assistance to developing countries; and in ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the Agency's safeguards system.

By adopting without a vote resolution 41/36, the text of which had been proposed by Canada, Czechoslovakia and Pakistan, the Assembly affirmed its confidence in the Agency's role in the application of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The Assembly also emphasized the need for the highest standards of safety in the design and operation of nuclear plants so as to minimize risks to life and health.

The Agency was commended for its "recent speedy responses and initiatives in the field of nuclear safety" and for its "timely and expeditious" efforts in the conclusion in September 1986 of two Conventions: on early notification of a nuclear accident, which entered into force on 27 October, and on emergency assistance in the event of such accidents. The Assembly welcomed the signing by a significant number of States of the two Conventions and called upon those States that had not yet done so to become parties to them as soon as possible.

Report: The Assembly reviewed the IAEA annual report for 1985 (GC(XXX)/775 and Corr. 1), which summarized trends in nuclear power generation world-wide and provided information on technical co-operation to help developing countries, the development and application of nuclear techniques, and the status of the safeguards regime.

In carrying out its safeguards obligations during 1985, the Agency "did not detect any anomaly which would indicate the diversion of a significant amount of safeguarded nuclear material - or the misuse of facilities or equipment subject to safeguards under certain agreements - for the manufacture of any nuclear weapons, or for any other military purpose, or for the manufacture of any other nuclear explosive device, or for purposes unknown" the report stated. It was "reasonable to conclude that nuclear material under Agency safeguards in 1985 remained in peaceful nuclear activities or was otherwise adequately accounted for".

Extensive safeguards activities in 1985 had resulted in more than 1,980 inspections carried out at 514 nuclear installations in 51 non-nuclear-weapon States and four nuclear-weapon States, according to the report. There was a total of 163 safeguards agreements in force with 96 States at the end of 1985. The safeguards agreement between the Agency and the Soviet Union relating to the voluntary offer by that country to place some of its peaceful nuclear installations under Agency safeguards had entered into force on 10 June 1985. China had also stated its willingness to place some of its civilian nuclear installations under Agency safeguards. When an agreement with China had been concluded, "voluntary - offer safeguards agreements" would be in force between the IAEA and the five nuclear-weapon States.

According to the report, the installed nuclear power capacity worldwide increased 13.7 per client in 1985 to a total of 250 Giga Watt (e). A total of 374 nuclear power plants accounted for 15 per cent of the world's electricity generation. Thirty-two new power plants had come "on line" in-1985, two of them in developing countries - India and the Republic of Korea. There had still been no general upturn in the orders for plants, and construction had begun on only six new ones. However, "vigorous" nuclear power programmes had continued in France, Japan and the Eastern European members of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA). China, Egypt, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Yugoslavia were also engaged in setting up power plants.

The Agency had continued to help developing Member States assess the appropriate role of nuclear power within their national energy plans. In particular, the Agency's efforts to help those countries strengthen nuclear power planning had continued. The Agency had also concentrated on developing radiation protection guidelines and helping member States apply them. Activities relating to the safety of nuclear installations placed increasing emphasis on operational aspects, the report noted.

The Agency's programme had continued to cover developments at all stages of the "nuclear fuel cycle" - from raw materials exploration to radioactive waste disposal. Up-to-date assessments of world uranium and thorium resources and supply, and of related technologies had been used in providing information and advice to Member States. There was an over-supply of uranium and its price was falling, resulting in a continuing decline in exploration activity. The United States was no longer the leading uranium producer.

In 1985, the Agency's expenditure on technical co-operation activities, covered by voluntary contributions of member States, had reached $33.8 million, a figure 3.5 per cent higher than in 1984. Technical assistance had been rendered to 81 countries and regions through the provision of experts, equipment, fellowships, training courses and sub-contracts. The countries of the Asia and Pacific region had received close to 29 per cent of the Agency's disbursement for 1985, Latin America 23 per cent, Africa 21 per cent, and Europe 13 per cent.