ID :
109149
Mon, 03/01/2010 - 13:11
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http://m.oananews.org//node/109149
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NAM says IAEA should not bow to ‘undue pressure’ on Iran
VIENNA, Feb. 29 (MNA) – The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has stated that there should be no “undue pressure or interference in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s activities.”
In a statement issued at a meeting in Vienna on Thursday, NAM also said the right of every country, including Iran, “in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear technology and its fuel cycle policies must be respected.”
Following is the text of the NAM statement:
1. The Vienna chapter of the Non-Aligned Movement wishes to thank the Director General, Mr Yukia Amano, for his report on the implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran as contained in document GOV/2010/10.
2. Before expressing our comments on the director general’s repot, NAM would like to reiterate its principled positions on the matter:
A: NAM reaffirms the basic and inalienable right of all states to the development, research, production and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, without any discrimination and in conformity with their respective legal obligations. Therefore nothing should be interpreted in a way as inhibiting or restricting the right of states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes. States’ choices and decisions, including those of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear technology and its fuel cycle policies must be respected.
B: NAM recognizes the IAEA as the sole competent authority for verification of the respective safeguards obligations of member states and stresses that there should be no undue pressure or interference in the agency’s activities, especially its verification process, which would jeopardize the efficiency and credibility of the agency.
C: NAM emphasizes the fundamental distinction between the legal obligations of states in accordance with their respective safeguards agreements, as opposed to any confidence building measures undertaken voluntarily and that do not constitute a legal safeguards obligation.
D: NAM considers the establishment of a nuclear weapons free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East as a positive step towards attaining the objective of global unclear disarmament and reiterated its support for the establishment of such a zone in accordance with relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
E: NAM reaffirms inviolability of peaceful nuclear activities and that any attack or threat of attack against peaceful nuclear facilities- operational or under construction – poses a serious danger to human beings and the environment and constitutes a grave violation of international law, and of regulations of the IAEA. NAM recognizes the need for a comprehensive multilaterally negotiated instrument prohibiting attacks, or threat of attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
F: NAM strongly believes that all safeguards and verification issues, including those related to Iran, should be resolved within the IAEA framework, and be based on technical and legal grounds. NAM further emphasizes that the agency should continue its work to resolve the Iranians nuclear issue within its mandate under the Statute of the IAEA.
G: NAM stressed the diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful means as well as substantive negotiations without any preconditions amongst the concerned parties must remain the means whereby a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue is found.
3. NAM takes notes that the latest report of the Director General includes many references to events that transpired prior to the previous report contained in document GOV/2009/74 dated 16 November 2009, and contrary to the expectation of NAM, does not mention the responses provided by Iran to the agency on several issues.
4. NAM also takes notes that the director General has stated once again that the Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.
5. NAM encourages Iran to intensify its cooperation with the Agency to provide credible assurances regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran within the Agency’s mandate.
6. NAM notes with concern, the possible implications of the departure form standard verification language. In the summary of the report of the Director General, when stating that “Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the Agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities”, and would like to seek clarification form the Agency on this matter.
7. NAM welcomes the continued cooperation between the Agency and Iran as elaborated in the latest report of the Director General, and in this regard, notes the following:
8. That the activities of production of nuclear material, particularly those related to the enrichment, continue to remain under the Agency’s containment and surveillance and that to date, the results of the environmental samples taken at Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) in Natanz and Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) indicates that the plants have been operating as declared. Since the last report, the Agency has successfully conducted four unannounced inspections. A total of 35 unannounced inspections have been conducted at AFP since March 2007.
b. That the Agency has confirmed that the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) corresponded with the design information provided by Iran and that the facility was at an advanced stage of construction, although no centrifuges had been introduced to the facility. Since the last report, the Agency has conducted four design information verifications (DIV). A total of 5 DIVs have been conducted at FFEP since October 2009.
c. That the Agency has continued to monitor the use and construction of hot cells at the relevant nuclear facilities in Iran, and there have been no indications of ongoing reprocessing related activities at those facilities.
d. That the Agency has finalized its assessment of the results of the physical inventory verification (PIV) carried out at Fuel Manufacturing Plant (FMP) in August 2009, and has concluded that the inventory of nuclear material at FMP as declared by Iran is consistent with those results. Iran has provided the Agency with the access to the IR-40 heavy water reactor of Arak, at which time the Agency was able to carry out a DIV, the Agency verified that the construction of the facility was ongoing.
8. NAM notes that the report of the Director General stated that “the period of notice provided by Iran regarding relaxed changes made to PTEP was insufficient for the Agency to adjust the existing safeguards procedures before Iran started to feed the material Into PFEP.” In this regard, NAM encourages Iran to provide design information regarding its nuclear facilities in accordance with its full-scope safeguards agreement with the Agency.
9. NAM fully supports the previous requests of the Director General to those Members States that have provided the Secretariat information related to the “alleged studies” to agree that the Agency provides all related documents to Iran, NAM expresses once again its concerns on the creation of obstacles in this regard, which hinder the Agency’s verification process in this regard NAM recalls that the Director General previously reported that:
a. The Agency has limited mans to authenticates independently the documentation that forms the basis of the alleged studies.
b. The constraints placed by some Member States on the availability of Information to Iran are making it most difficult for the Agency to conduct detailed discussions with Iran on this matter.
10. Taking into account the recent developments mentioned above as well as previous Director General’s reports on the implementation of the Work Plan on ‘Understanding of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Agency on the Modalities of resolution of the outstanding Issues” (INFCIRC/711), NAM still looks forward to the safeguards implementation in Iran being conducted in a routine manner.
11. NAM reiterates its principled position that diplomacy end dialogue are the only way for a long term solution of Iran’s nuclear issue, NAM encourages all Member States to contribute positively to that effect.
Thank you. Mr. Chairperson.
In a statement issued at a meeting in Vienna on Thursday, NAM also said the right of every country, including Iran, “in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear technology and its fuel cycle policies must be respected.”
Following is the text of the NAM statement:
1. The Vienna chapter of the Non-Aligned Movement wishes to thank the Director General, Mr Yukia Amano, for his report on the implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran as contained in document GOV/2010/10.
2. Before expressing our comments on the director general’s repot, NAM would like to reiterate its principled positions on the matter:
A: NAM reaffirms the basic and inalienable right of all states to the development, research, production and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, without any discrimination and in conformity with their respective legal obligations. Therefore nothing should be interpreted in a way as inhibiting or restricting the right of states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes. States’ choices and decisions, including those of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear technology and its fuel cycle policies must be respected.
B: NAM recognizes the IAEA as the sole competent authority for verification of the respective safeguards obligations of member states and stresses that there should be no undue pressure or interference in the agency’s activities, especially its verification process, which would jeopardize the efficiency and credibility of the agency.
C: NAM emphasizes the fundamental distinction between the legal obligations of states in accordance with their respective safeguards agreements, as opposed to any confidence building measures undertaken voluntarily and that do not constitute a legal safeguards obligation.
D: NAM considers the establishment of a nuclear weapons free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East as a positive step towards attaining the objective of global unclear disarmament and reiterated its support for the establishment of such a zone in accordance with relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
E: NAM reaffirms inviolability of peaceful nuclear activities and that any attack or threat of attack against peaceful nuclear facilities- operational or under construction – poses a serious danger to human beings and the environment and constitutes a grave violation of international law, and of regulations of the IAEA. NAM recognizes the need for a comprehensive multilaterally negotiated instrument prohibiting attacks, or threat of attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
F: NAM strongly believes that all safeguards and verification issues, including those related to Iran, should be resolved within the IAEA framework, and be based on technical and legal grounds. NAM further emphasizes that the agency should continue its work to resolve the Iranians nuclear issue within its mandate under the Statute of the IAEA.
G: NAM stressed the diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful means as well as substantive negotiations without any preconditions amongst the concerned parties must remain the means whereby a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue is found.
3. NAM takes notes that the latest report of the Director General includes many references to events that transpired prior to the previous report contained in document GOV/2009/74 dated 16 November 2009, and contrary to the expectation of NAM, does not mention the responses provided by Iran to the agency on several issues.
4. NAM also takes notes that the director General has stated once again that the Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.
5. NAM encourages Iran to intensify its cooperation with the Agency to provide credible assurances regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran within the Agency’s mandate.
6. NAM notes with concern, the possible implications of the departure form standard verification language. In the summary of the report of the Director General, when stating that “Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the Agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities”, and would like to seek clarification form the Agency on this matter.
7. NAM welcomes the continued cooperation between the Agency and Iran as elaborated in the latest report of the Director General, and in this regard, notes the following:
8. That the activities of production of nuclear material, particularly those related to the enrichment, continue to remain under the Agency’s containment and surveillance and that to date, the results of the environmental samples taken at Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) in Natanz and Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) indicates that the plants have been operating as declared. Since the last report, the Agency has successfully conducted four unannounced inspections. A total of 35 unannounced inspections have been conducted at AFP since March 2007.
b. That the Agency has confirmed that the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) corresponded with the design information provided by Iran and that the facility was at an advanced stage of construction, although no centrifuges had been introduced to the facility. Since the last report, the Agency has conducted four design information verifications (DIV). A total of 5 DIVs have been conducted at FFEP since October 2009.
c. That the Agency has continued to monitor the use and construction of hot cells at the relevant nuclear facilities in Iran, and there have been no indications of ongoing reprocessing related activities at those facilities.
d. That the Agency has finalized its assessment of the results of the physical inventory verification (PIV) carried out at Fuel Manufacturing Plant (FMP) in August 2009, and has concluded that the inventory of nuclear material at FMP as declared by Iran is consistent with those results. Iran has provided the Agency with the access to the IR-40 heavy water reactor of Arak, at which time the Agency was able to carry out a DIV, the Agency verified that the construction of the facility was ongoing.
8. NAM notes that the report of the Director General stated that “the period of notice provided by Iran regarding relaxed changes made to PTEP was insufficient for the Agency to adjust the existing safeguards procedures before Iran started to feed the material Into PFEP.” In this regard, NAM encourages Iran to provide design information regarding its nuclear facilities in accordance with its full-scope safeguards agreement with the Agency.
9. NAM fully supports the previous requests of the Director General to those Members States that have provided the Secretariat information related to the “alleged studies” to agree that the Agency provides all related documents to Iran, NAM expresses once again its concerns on the creation of obstacles in this regard, which hinder the Agency’s verification process in this regard NAM recalls that the Director General previously reported that:
a. The Agency has limited mans to authenticates independently the documentation that forms the basis of the alleged studies.
b. The constraints placed by some Member States on the availability of Information to Iran are making it most difficult for the Agency to conduct detailed discussions with Iran on this matter.
10. Taking into account the recent developments mentioned above as well as previous Director General’s reports on the implementation of the Work Plan on ‘Understanding of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Agency on the Modalities of resolution of the outstanding Issues” (INFCIRC/711), NAM still looks forward to the safeguards implementation in Iran being conducted in a routine manner.
11. NAM reiterates its principled position that diplomacy end dialogue are the only way for a long term solution of Iran’s nuclear issue, NAM encourages all Member States to contribute positively to that effect.
Thank you. Mr. Chairperson.
