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Mr. President,
Let me begin by expressing our appreciation to a dear friend, Dr. M. El
Baradei, Director General of the IAEA for presenting the Agency’s Annual Report.
The International Atomic Energy Agency continues to perform a commendable role,
under the dynamic stewardship of Dr. Baradei, contributing to peace and security
and socio-economic development, in an increasingly complex and challenging
international environment. We assure Dr. Baradei and his team of our full
support.
Mr. President,
2. We agree with the Agency’s assessment that global socio-economic development
needs will require large increase in the supply of energy in the coming decades.
The role of nuclear energy will therefore be crucial in supplying part of this
requirement especially in view of its environment-friendliness and
sustainability, which is needed for development, especially in the developing
countries.
3. The Agency has projected a 20 % increase in global nuclear generation until
2020. We note with interest that most of this increase would be required by Asia
since out of 31 reactors currently under construction worldwide, 20 are located
in Asia. 19 of the 28 reactors to be connected to the grids are in the Far East
and South Asia. The pace of the construction of these reactors could be further
increased if states are not subjected to undue restrictions. With innovative
technologies, “safe” nuclear power plants are a reality and could be constructed
in energy-deficient developing countries. In this regard, the IAEA’s role in the
transfer of safe technology to developing countries has assumed added
significance. We hope that the Agency would formulate a comprehensive policy
towards this end.
Mr. President,
4. The Government of Pakistan attaches highest importance to the Technical
Cooperation Programme of the Agency as it offers unique opportunities to the
developing countries for prosperity and economic growth with the availability of
easy and affordable sources of energy. In view of Pakistan’s limited fossil fuel
resources and the need to balance between the risks of industrial pollution and
our economic growth, we consider nuclear power generation as an indispensable
element of our national energy strategy. For over 30 years, Pakistan has enjoyed
an excellent operational and safety record of its two nuclear power plants,
KANUPP and CHASNUPP. The existence of a reliable infrastructure relevant to the
nuclear power plants has enabled us to commence work on another nuclear power
station – CHASNUPP II.
5. Pakistan’s future nuclear power generation activities are not confined to the
installation of more power plants only, but extend to the utilization of some of
these facilities for powering desalination plants. As a result of collaborative
efforts with the IAEA, a desalination unit at KANUPP is in service since 2000
which produces about 450 cubic meters of fresh water per day by desalinating
seawater.
Mr. President,
6. The Agency has also played a commendable role in the health sector –
especially in the treatment of cancer and tuberculosis. In the agriculture
sector too, innovative technologies have helped in the protection of crops and
enhancing agricultural productivity. A sustained effort would be required to
allocate more resources to the IAEA to carry out further research work in health
and agriculture sectors which could immensely reduce hunger, disease and poverty
in the world.
7. Pakistan is also applying nuclear sciences for the development of health,
agriculture, and reclamation of wasteland. We appreciate the growing cooperation
between Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the IAEA in this field.
Pakistan has established its 13th nuclear medical center this year. We are
working on setting up 5 more such centers including the country’s first PET
diagnostic facility in Pakistan. In agriculture, our centers continue to evolve
new crop varieties. We have established 5 demonstration farms to utilize
salinity-affected lands. Pakistan is also interested in playing a substantive
role in the international effort to promoting the International Project on
Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle (INPRO) so that Pakistan could
benefit from the safe, cost effective and proliferation resistant nuclear power
plants in future.
Mr. President,
8. We are highly sensitive to the safety and security of our nuclear
installations, particularly as we are extending our nuclear power generation for
economic development. Pakistan has successfully established a strong safety
culture in its nuclear activities. We are diligently adhering to the principles
of Nuclear Safety Convention, which Pakistan had signed at the time of its
inception. We have further strengthened security measures around our nuclear
installations to avoid any possibility of sabotage or illicit acquisition or
trafficking of nuclear material. We will continue our active participation in
the Agency’s initiative to strengthen the Convention on the Physical Protection
of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). We are desirous of an early conclusion of the
deliberations on this Convention with the hope that this important Convention
will establish more comprehensive obligations globally regarding physical
protection of nuclear materials as well as nuclear facilities. We have, however,
made it clear that any provisions in the new Convention which can be construed
as legitimizing attacks on nuclear facilities are against international law and
morality. This issue requires a satisfactory solution.
9. As part of our efforts to augment the safety and security of nuclear
installations and to prevent WMD proliferation, we have undertaken additional
measures. These include:
- Effective steps, in cooperation with the international community, to eliminate
an underground proliferation network which had its tentacles in two dozen
countries. We have cooperated closely with the IAEA in this endeavour. We urge
other concerned countries to do likewise.
- Wide ranging measures to ensure foolproof security for its nuclear and
strategic assets. Four years ago, we established a Nuclear Command and Control
Authority which is responsible for Pakistan’s strategic assets. These assets are
vital for our strategic deterrence posture. There is no question of their
falling into the wrong hands.
- The creation of a Nuclear Regulatory Authority in 2001 for the safe operation
of civilian nuclear plants.
- Pakistan has elaborated legislation to implement its obligations under the
Chemical Weapons Convention since 2000.
- Last month, Pakistan’s Parliament promulgated a comprehensive Export Control
Act to deal with nuclear and biological weapons, material, goods, technologies,
equipment and their means of delivery. Salient elements of our new law include:
prohibition of diversion of controlled goods and technologies, including
re-export, transshipment and transit; licensing and record keeping; export
control lists and penal provisions of up to 14 years imprisonment and a fine of
Rs. 5 million. We are confident that there will be no proliferation of WMD from
Pakistan.
Mr. President,
10. The safety and verification aspects of the IAEA mandate remain important
pillars of the Agency’s mandate. The Agency has initiated action with regard to
the safety of nuclear materials. There is need to focus attention on securing
“orphan” sources of such materials which pose an immediate danger of falling
into the wrong hands. The Agency’s report highlights this aspect and we fully
agree with the remedial measures suggested in this regard.
11. As regards the strengthening of the Agency’s safeguards system, Pakistan
believes that the maintenance of a proper balance between the promotional
aspects and safety or security related concerns in all of the Agency’s functions
is essential. Pakistan believes that States must fully comply with their
respective safeguards obligations. At the same time, the Agency’s safeguards
should not be used to serve partisan political objectives. Its verification
regime could remain credible only if it is applied on a non-discriminatory
basis, as stipulated in the Agency’s Statutes. Cooperation and greater
understanding is required among all the Member States of the Agency to advance
the Agency’s mandate on the basis of impartiality, equity and professionalism.
Mr. President,
12. The Agency’s role should be consistent with its Statutes. Proposals for
reform should be within the scope of its Statute. The IAEA is not an
investigative agency. It cannot be asked to perform tasks, which are beyond the
scope of its Statute or not approved by its Membership. Any reform in the Agency
should be non-discriminatory, inclusive and take into account the differentiated
nature of obligations of member states. Finally, such reforms should not
undermine the balance between the promotional role of the Agency and safety or
security related concerns involved in the IAEA’s functions.
Mr. President,
13. We all have great expectations with the IAEA in the promotion of
socio-economic development of its Member States. The Agency’s technical
cooperation requires a reassessment of its current framework whereby it can
render assistance to the Member States on non-discriminatory and equitable
basis. Apart from ensuring “balance” between the promotional aspects and
verification, safety and security related functions of the Agency, the following
measures could help in enhancing its contribution to socio-economic
development:-
One: Preservation of its technical nature and preventing the
politicization of its agenda;
Two: A greater emphasis on the technical cooperation activities of the
Agency and its contribution to the development and practical application of
atomic energy for peaceful uses and technology transfers to developing
countries.
Three: Allocation of larger and more assured resources for technical
cooperation activities, technology transfer and training facilities for the
developing countries.
Four: Greater involvement of the developing countries in the design and
implementation of Technical Cooperation projects and increased outsourcing to
developing Member States for its Technical Cooperation Programme
I thank you, Mr. President.