ID :
14597
Sat, 08/02/2008 - 08:59
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http://m.oananews.org//node/14597
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Safeguards agreement meets all legal requirements: EL Baradei
Lalitha Vaidyanathan Vienna, Aug 2 (PTI) Strongly backing the India specific safeguards agreement, IAEA chief today said that it satisfies India's needs while maintaining "all the legalrequirements" of the UN atomic watchdog.
Tabling the draft Agreement before the 35 members of its Board of Governors, the IAEA Director General Mohamed ELbaradei said the agreement's "umbrella" nature provides a more efficient mechanism for ensuring that safeguardsrequirements can be met.
"It (agreement) satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the Agency's legal requirements. Such an "umbrella" approach could also be used for the conclusion ofother 66-type safeguards agreements, Elbaradei.
According to India's Plan, which has been circulated for the information of all IAEA Member States, a total of 14 reactors are envisaged to come under Agency safeguards by 2014, he said adding that six of them were already under IAEAsupervision.
IAEA expected to start implementing the agreement at new facilities in 2009. Facilities will be notified by India to the Agency in stages and the Secretariat will inform the IAEA members when facilities are submitted for safeguards, hesaid.
The IAEA chief said India and the IAEA have already begun discussions on an Additional Protocol, which will bespecific to the country.
The UN atomic watchdog's board of governors is meeting here to decide the fate of a safeguards agreement, a key stepfor the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Sources said that a "smooth passage" of the safeguards agreement that will open up India's nuclear facilities to theinspections by the watchdog is expected.
As with other safeguards agreements between the Agency and Member States, the agreement is of indefinite duration, Elbaradei said. PTI LV
Tabling the draft Agreement before the 35 members of its Board of Governors, the IAEA Director General Mohamed ELbaradei said the agreement's "umbrella" nature provides a more efficient mechanism for ensuring that safeguardsrequirements can be met.
"It (agreement) satisfies India's needs while maintaining all the Agency's legal requirements. Such an "umbrella" approach could also be used for the conclusion ofother 66-type safeguards agreements, Elbaradei.
According to India's Plan, which has been circulated for the information of all IAEA Member States, a total of 14 reactors are envisaged to come under Agency safeguards by 2014, he said adding that six of them were already under IAEAsupervision.
IAEA expected to start implementing the agreement at new facilities in 2009. Facilities will be notified by India to the Agency in stages and the Secretariat will inform the IAEA members when facilities are submitted for safeguards, hesaid.
The IAEA chief said India and the IAEA have already begun discussions on an Additional Protocol, which will bespecific to the country.
The UN atomic watchdog's board of governors is meeting here to decide the fate of a safeguards agreement, a key stepfor the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Sources said that a "smooth passage" of the safeguards agreement that will open up India's nuclear facilities to theinspections by the watchdog is expected.
As with other safeguards agreements between the Agency and Member States, the agreement is of indefinite duration, Elbaradei said. PTI LV
