Mr. President,

3. Pakistan attaches highest importance to the Technical Cooperation Programme of the IAEA. As one of the earliest members of the Agency, Pakistan has benefited from and contributed to the Agency's Technical Cooperation Programme in the form of training, provision of experts and hosting of seminars and workshops.
4. Pakistan is one of the earliest countries to launch a programme of nuclear power generation. Our first nuclear power plant, KANUPP (125 MW), was in operation as far back as 1972. The second power plant Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) Unit -1 (300) MW is in operation while CHASNUPP-2 (300 MW) is under construction. We have developed the entire range of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Parallel to the development of nuclear fuel cycle, I would briefly draw attention to our achievements in other sectors:
5. In the area of nuclear research, the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) has emerged as a major research institution in the region for basic and applied research in the fields of nuclear physics, nuclear chemistry, nuclear materials, nuclear engineering, radioisotope production and applications. For the development of indigenous fuel cycle facilities, PINSTECH has made appreciable contribution towards fabrication of reactor fuel for the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP). Research carried out in various disciplines is being applied in the field of food and agriculture, health, water resources and industry, all of which are essential components of sustainable socioeconomic development in the country.
6. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is playing a vital role in the application of nuclear science and technology in the human health sector. PAEC is using nuclear and other advanced techniques for diagnosis and treatment of cancerous and allied diseases and is actively involved in national cancer awareness, prevention, diagnosis and treatment program. PAEC has so far established 13 Nuclear Medicine & Oncology Centres/Institutions throughout the country for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. These institutions are equipped with excellent facilities for diagnostic nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. More nuclear medical centres are in the pipeline.
7. Several radiopharmaceuticals have been produced using the nuclear reactor at PINSTECH (PARR-1). These radiopharmaceuticals are being used extensively for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The radioisotope production laboratory at PINSTECH is producing diagnostic radiopharmaceutical freeze dried kits for the visualization of different body organs. These kits are being supplied to nearly twenty five hospitals including PAEC nuclear medical centres and private/government hospitals in Pakistan for diagnosis of different abnormalities in the body.
8. PAEC is also collaborating with international agencies like IAEA, JICA, UICC, WHO, etc. in Technical Cooperation Projects, providing training for technical Human Resource Development and getting assistance to obtain latest nuclear technologies and equipment in the field of health and medicine.
9. The Commission is implementing IAEA's Program of Action on Cancer Therapy (PACT) in Pakistan. In this regard, application of latest techniques, acquisition of suitable equipment and training of radiation oncologists for better and accurate radiation therapy is underway with the help of IAEA.
10. PAEC is playing a major role in harnessing nuclear techniques in agriculture and other biological research since its inception. The first centre was established in 1962 while three other centers were established subsequently in the country. In the crop improvement sector, PAEC centres so far have released 63 high yielding, disease resistant varieties of wheat, chickpea, cotton, mungbean, rice, lentil, sugarcane and rape seed.
11. In Pakistan more than 6 million hectares of land is affected by salinity that causes huge loss to the agriculture production. The biological approach developed at NIAB, Faisalabad, has proven effective for sustainable and economic utilization of saline wastelands and brackish ground water for plant production. This technology has been successfully demonstrated on Bio-saline Research Stations near Lahore and Faisalabad, and has also been adopted by several countries in Asia and Africa.
12. Using food preservation/processing protocols developed at NIFA, Peshawar, the country is well on the path of establishing at least 5 commercial food irradiation facilities.
13. The National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, is a centre dedicated to the application of biotechnology in agriculture, industry, health and environment. NIBGE is the leading national centre in plant molecular virology and genetic engineering. It is an affiliate centre of ICGEB, Trieste, Italy, an ISO9001-2000 certified facility, a Centre of Excellence declared by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), has the National Library for Biological Sciences and an affiliated centre of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, for M.Phil and Ph. D. degrees in Biotechnology.
14. PAEC has established research laboratories in the fields of isotope hydrology and isotope ecology. These laboratories host valuable working facilities for full-spectrum analysis of key environmental isotopes, inorganic/organic chemicals and radioactive tracer applications to address national and regional issues related to environment, hydrology, industry and life sciences.

Mr. President,

15. With a sizeable civilian nuclear programme and decades of experience in nuclear operations in the areas of power generation, health, medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and industrial applications, Pakistan is uniquely placed to offer cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy to developing countries under IAEA safeguards. We look forward to further strengthening our participation in the IAEA's promotional activities.

Mr. President,

16. Since the foundation of its atomic energy programme, Pakistan has always recognized that nuclear safety and security in the national and international context is a vital objective. We have therefore established strong safety and security infrastructure including a strong and independent Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). Pakistan is a Party to the Nuclear Safety Convention, the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and other relevant IAEA instruments. Nuclear safety arrangements at civilian facilities in Pakistan are subjected to peer reviews and regular inspections by IAEA missions. On the security side, the PNRA requires all operators to implement the security arrangements as contained in the IAEA document INFCIRC 225/Rev 4 which constitutes the current international standard in this regard.
17. PNRA is implementing a national Nuclear Security Action Plan (NSAP) which aims at i) strengthening the security of nuclear and radioactive materials and facilities containing such facilities ii) prevention and detection of illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials and iii) responding to incidents of illicit trafficking and emergencies. The PNRA is cooperating with the IAEA for capacity building in this regard.

Mr. President,

18. Pakistan's economy has expanded at an average annual growth rate of 7% from 2002 to 2007; electricity demand increased at about 8% per annum. At the current rate of economic growth, the electricity generating demand would increase from 20,000 MW at present to 163,000 MW by 2030.
19. Pakistan's indigenous energy resources are limited. The Government of Pakistan has therefore launched a 25 years "Energy Security Plan" to cater to the rising demand for energy. The strategy for the development of power sector is maximum utilization of indigenous energy resources (hydro, coal, local gas and renewable) to reduce dependence on imported fuels. Nuclear power generation will be an indispensable element in our national energy security strategy.
20. This ESP plan envisages increase in nuclear power generation capacity from the present 425 MW to 8800 MW by the year 2030 i.e. an increase from the present 0.8% to 4.2%. This will entail setting up of several additional nuclear power reactors.
21. To support the planned expansion of nuclear power in Pakistan, we have embarked upon the establishment of a uranium conversion and enrichment facility that will cater to the needs of fuel for our nuclear power plants. At the last IAEA General Conference, Pakistan made an announcement concerning the possibility of placing this facility under IAEA safeguards. This voluntary measure would be facilitated through Pakistan's non-discriminatory integration into the international arrangements for peaceful nuclear cooperation.

Mr. President,

22. Pakistan has been closely following recent proposals and initiatives on 'Assurances of supply of nuclear fuel'. The basis of acceptance of any such mechanism will be that of trust in the system. It should encourage expansion of nuclear power through the assured supply of nuclear fuel and other related services in a non-discriminatory manner. Above all, consistent with the existing realities, any such mechanism should include all states with advanced fuel cycle capabilities without discrimination. In particular, the Report of the Experts Group established by the DG-IAEA emphasizes the need to make the three Non-NPT States partners of the Multilateral Nuclear Fuel Cycle Approach. It also envisages the establishment of nuclear parks in countries under IAEA supervision.
23. Pakistan recognizes the important role played by the IAEA verification regime. We have fully complied with our obligations pursuant to our safeguards agreements with the IAEA. We share the view that all states should fully comply with their safeguards obligations and international commitments. The most important step towards maintaining the credibility of the safeguards regime is the fulfillment of the legal obligations by all states. A balance between the Agency's regulatory, promotional and safety functions will ensure the continuing relevance of the Agency in the 21st century in the context of promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy and non-proliferation.

Mr. President,

24. The international community has well recognized and commended the vital role which the Director General Baradei and the IAEA are playing in the promotion of peaceful nuclear cooperation and non-proliferation. Dr. Baradei's remarks regarding several current issues deserve close consideration by all the concerned parties.
25. There is a disconnect between the call of some for full scope safeguards and the Additional Protocol as the standard for peaceful nuclear cooperation and the readiness to consider simultaneously selective exceptions from this standard. Pakistan supports the DG's call for a new framework for the use of nuclear energy which responds "to the Lessons Learned and the current reality".
26. We also welcome the recognition of the linkage between non-proliferation and disarmament. For its part, for the past several years, Pakistan has called for evolving a new consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation, which would encompass the new framework for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We hope the UN Secretary General will consider convening an International Conference, or a Special Session of the General Assembly, to evolve such a new consensus.

I thank you.