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Madam President,
join other speakers in thanking Dr. El Baradei for presenting the Annual
Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We are confident
that the IAEA, under the dynamic leadership of Dr. El-Baradei, shall
continue its laudable work to promote, in particular, peaceful uses of
nuclear technology. We assure Dr. Baradei and his team our full support.
Madam President,
We share the Agency’s assessment that global need for energy is growing in
view of rising oil and natural gas prices. We also agree with the
identification of other future trends by the Agency i.e. environmental
constraints on the use of fossil fuels; concerns about energy supply
security and expansion plans for nuclear power. The role of nuclear energy
will therefore be crucial specially for the socio-economic development needs
of the developing countries.
We continue to note with interest that out of the 26 nuclear power plants
under construction worldwide, the majority i.e. 15 are located in Asia. The
pace of construction of these plants could be further increased if states
are not subjected to undue restrictions. We hope that the Agency would
formulate a comprehensive policy towards this end.
Madam President,
As one of its earliest Member State, Pakistan has long been a strong
advocate of promoting and harnessing of nuclear technology for peace,
progress and prosperity for all. On its part, Pakistan has established
several training centres including a full-fledged university for nuclear
science and engineering - meeting both our own needs of technical manpower
and training requirements of other countries, including through the Agency’s
Technical Cooperation Programme.
Pakistan has developed the entire range of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. We
now have two nuclear power plants in operation, while a third one is under
construction. Parallel to the development of nuclear fuel cycle, an
extensive programme for application of nuclear technology and radioisotopes
in agriculture, hydrology, medical and industrial sectors is also underway.
In agriculture, Pakistan has established four nuclear agricultural research
centres in various parts of the country, which are engaged in research work
for helping farmers grow and harvest more and better quality crops. The
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s Agricultural Research Institutes,
utilizing nuclear techniques, have been able to evolve 57 crop varieties
characterized by their higher yield, resistance to various pests and
diseases. Similarly, the indigenous development of bio-fertilizers offers
cost-effective solutions to various crops affected by chemical fertilizers.
Plans are underway to establish five Commercial Food Irradiators in
different cities. These irradiation facilities shall help enhance exports of
food commodities, especially fruits and vegetables.
In the area of medical science, Pakistan has 13 nuclear medicine and
oncology centres providing diagnostic and treatment facilities to several
hundred thousand patients each year. About seventy percent of these patients
are provided free treatment. Six more nuclear medical centres are being
built.
We attach highest importance to the Technical Cooperation Programme of the
IAEA. We have benefited from and contributed to it in the form of training,
provision of experts and hosting of seminars and workshops. We are pleased
to note that the overall implementation rate of IAEA's Technical Cooperation
activities in Pakistan during 2004 achieved a record high of 75.8%. We look
forward to its further strengthening and expansion.
Madam President,
In recent years, Pakistan's economy has registered a remarkable growth rate.
As a country with more than 150 million people, Pakistan considers nuclear
power generation as an indispensable element of our national energy security
strategy. The Government of Pakistan has therefore launched a 25 year
“Energy Security Plan” to respond to this high growth rate and to cater for
the rising demand for energy.
This Plan envisages the increase of nuclear electricity generation from the
present 425 MWe to 8800 MWe by the year 2030 – representing an increase in
the share of nuclear energy from the present 0.8% to only 4.2%. By year
2030, our per capita consumption of electricity is expected to rise to only
3920 KWhr/year as compared to the present 13,800 KWhr/year in the developed
world.
Our limited fossil fuel resources coupled with a growing population and an
expanding economy, on the one hand, and the projected energy consumption by
burning coal alone from the current 6.5% to 19% in 2030 on the other hand,
present a great challenge of balancing between industrial pollution and
sustained economic growth.
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.
As we seek to operationalize our “Energy Security Plan”, we envisage the
import of nuclear plants and other relevant civilian nuclear technology. We
hope that the international community shall adopt a non-discriminatory and
criteria-based approach in extending civil nuclear technology and
cooperation to developing countries.
Madam President,
We accord the highest level of importance to the safety and security of our
nuclear installations, particularly as we expand our nuclear power
generation capacity 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.
We have further strengthened security measures around our nuclear
installations to avoid any possibility of sabotage or illicit acquisition or
trafficking of nuclear material. Pakistan has subjected itself to review by
its peers at all the three meetings of the Contracting Parties held since
its inception.
Pakistan has also been participating in Agency’s Advisory/Expert Groups such
as SAGTAC, INPRO and INDAG. We value the Agency’s efforts in coordinating
and disseminating information on the latest developments in nuclear power
technology. We suggest further strengthening of the Agency’s program in
Nuclear Knowledge Management and Information Services.
Madam President,
The safety and verification aspects of the IAEA mandate remain important
pillars of the Agency’s mandate. As regards the strengthening of the
Agency’s safeguards system, Pakistan stresses the need for a balanced
approach between the promotional aspects and safety or security related
concerns in all of the Agency’s functions. In the broader context of the
Agency’s work, we attach great importance to the proposal for the expansion
of the Board of Governors and making it more representative. We urge Member
States to consider this issue with an open mind and take an early action.
We share the view that all States should 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. Efforts are also required to ‘correct’ the public
perception of IAEA as being a 'nuclear watchdog' agency only. Its primary
role in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology
needs to be re-emphasized.
Madam President,
Recent developments have revealed that the old consensus on disarmament and
non-proliferation has broken down. Pakistan has proposed convening a Special
Conference to evolve a new consensus which responds to the current and
emerging realities. Such a Conference could help promote universal nuclear
disarmament under verified international controls. This new consensus should
eliminate the discrimination and double standards that characterize the
present non-proliferation arrangements. It should also evolve an agreed
basis for the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy under
appropriate international safeguards, in accordance with the international
obligations of States and on a non-discriminatory basis. Above all, as
advocated by Dr. El-Baradei ways and means must be found to normalize the
relationship between the NPT regime and the non-NPT nuclear weapon states.
I thank you Madam Co-Chairman