PAKISTAN MISSION TO THE
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK
FIRST COMMITTEE
Statement by Member of the Pakistan Delegation on Agenda
Item 14 "Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency" at
the Plenary meeting of the General Assembly, on 12 November 1997.
Mr President,
The Pakistan delegation would like to convey its appreciation to the distinguished Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency for his statement this morning on the Annual Report of the Agency for 1996.
I would also like to convey our congratulations to the Agency for completing forty years of useful work. We hope that the Agency will pay greater attention to the needs of developing countries for benefitting from peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Pakistan, as one of the founder members of the International Atomic Energy Agency, can take justifiable pride in its close association and fruitful cooperation with the Agency since its establishment in 1957. During the past four decades, Pakistan has both benefitted from and contributed to the work of the Agency.
Pakistan has participated actively in the Agency's policy-making organs, served for twenty-four years on its Board of Governors, and was twice elected as its Chairman. Additionally, Pakistan has the honour of serving as the first Chairman of the Agency's Standing Advisory Group on Technical Assistance and Cooperation.
Today, Pakistan provides an outstanding example of the IAEA's success story in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Thanks to the catalytic effect of the Agency's cooperation, the peaceful nuclear programme of Pakistan has considerably advanced making a significant socio-economic impact.
While supplementing our own efforts and resources with IAEA's technical assistance, we have established a broad-base of professional manpower, research institutes, training facilities, medical centres and other technical services. We now have three centres specializing in the use of radiation and radioisotopes in agriculture. An institute of biotechnology and genetic engineering is dedicated to research. Ten nuclear medical centres cater to a quarter million patients every year while two more centres are under construction.
It is a source of great satisfaction for us to have supported the Agency's promotional activities. Despite our meager resources, we have freely shared our experience in peaceful nuclear technology with other developing countries by providing experts, offering placements in concerned institutions and hosting training courses. We will continue our contributions in these areas.
Pakistan shares the aspirations of the international community for a nuclear-weapon-free world. Experience has shown that the establishment of nuclear weapon-free zones is a positive and significant step forward in that direction. Our proposal initiated in 1974 for establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Asia continues to manifest our commitment to seek practical modalities and agreements to promote the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in our region. The proposal is part of our endeavour to promote a comprehensive approach to resolving problems in South Asia including the resolution of disputes and issues of security.
Because of the existing tensions in our region, the problem of nuclear proliferation raises serious concerns. The core cause of tension in South Asia is the Kashmir dispute and the brutal suppression and the denial of the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The only viable way to reduce this tension is to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. The reduction of tension is likely to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation in our region, and will hopefully contribute to promote the objective of non-proliferation.
Mr President,
In the context of non-proliferation, the IAEA's safeguards system has played an invaluable role. The Board of Governors has now approved the adoption of a Protocol intended to strengthen the Agency's capability to detect undeclared activities in States with comprehensive safeguards agreements. We shall follow with great interest the concrete gains in effectiveness and cost-efficiency as the system gets into full gear in the time-frame of five to ten years.
Pakistan has always supported the Agency's efforts in strengthening safeguards measures and has actively participated in the discussions on its safeguards strengthening Programme 93 plus 2. However, Pakistan as a non-NPT country is not obliged to accept the measures as suggested in the model Protocol. Pakistan will be fully abiding by its safeguards obligations by honouring the present safeguards agreements.
Nuclear safety is being continually enhanced technically and reinforced legally. A major initiative in this regard is the Convention on Nuclear Safety which specifically addresses the safety of nuclear power stations. Pakistan was one of the first signatories to this Convention, and has also ratified the Convention. It is our sincere hope and expectation that the national reporting and peer review process, envisaged in the Convention, will strengthen both national commitment and international cooperation in this important field.
Mr. President,
The promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy is the raison d'etre of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Despite the negative public perception created in some countries and fears aroused about the dangers of nuclear proliferation, nuclear energy remains a viable and attractive energy option for many countries and particularly for fossil-fuel-deficient developing countries.
Since energy is a vital input to the development process, the energy consumption per capita is bound to rise steeply in developing countries. If this increase in energy demand is to be met by fossil-fuel which seems inevitable in the near term, there will be an unacceptable burden of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides on the atmosphere. A massive deployment of hydropower can ease the situation to some extent, but the only proven and sustainable option is the use of nuclear heat and nuclear electricity. Despite Chernobyl, the safety record of the nuclear industry is unmatched by any other major enterprise. Opposition to nuclear power is thus either based on misunderstanding or it is a deliberate pretext to deny this technology to less-favoured countries.
To encourage and promote the peaceful uses of nuclear power, the basic requirement would be to provide technical assistance and cooperation to the concerned countries. The regulatory responsibility of the Agency should not lead to imposition of arbitrary restrictions on the transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The Agency should adopt non-discriminatory measures in providing access to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in order to facilitate the achievement of the overall objective of a safe, clean and secure world.
As regards the long standing issue concerning the size and composition of the Agency's Board of Governors, there is now a general agreement among Member States that the efficiency, representativity and credibility of the Board would be enhanced by a well considered addition of active stake-holders. We earnestly hope that a just solution to this issue would be agreed upon in the near future so that the under-represented regions are given their rightful share in the membership of the Board. Pakistan will continue its cooperation with other Member States for reaching a generally agreed formula for the expansion of the Board.
While the provision of technical assistance is the cornerstone of the Agency's work, any curtailment or roll-back of technical cooperation activities would constitute a retrogressive step. It will upset the balance that has so happily existed between the regulatory and promotional roles of the Agency. Such an eventuality would tend to distort the statutory mandate of the Organization. The two functions must, therefore, go hand in hand.
The role played so far by the Agency in upgrading the scientific profile of developing Member States is commendable. However, continued efforts and mutual understanding amongst the industrialized and developing Member States would be required to enable the Agency to live up to the expectations of Member States. Additionally, a commitment governed not only by rules and regulations but also largely by objectives and aspirations, should influence the Agency's future.
Mr President,
While the International Atomic Energy Agency celebrates its Fortieth Anniversary, we would like to congratulate the Agency for the progress it has achieved towards meeting the objectives laid down in its Statute. Above all, we wish the IAEA many more decades of distinction in the service of mankind.
I thank you, Mr President.
For further information please contact:
Pakistan Mission, 8 East 65th Street, New York NY 10021.
Tel: (212) 879.8600 or E-Mail: pakistan@undp.org
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
