03 Nov 2014
Mr President,
1. Singapore thanks the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the IAEA’s comprehensive annual report. Singapore has consistently supported the three pillars of the IAEA’s work – safety and security; science and technology; and safeguards and verification. We are pleased to once again co-sponsor the draft resolution on the Report of the IAEA.
Mr President,
2. The importance of the IAEA’s work cannot be understated. Nuclear incidents or accidents, as well as acts of nuclear terrorism have grave humanitarian impacts. They can also cripple economies and compromise security.
3. An international framework on nuclear security and safety is therefore crucial. The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), as the only legally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material, helps to fulfil this purpose. Singapore formally deposited our instrument of accession to the CPPNM and our instrument of acceptance of the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on 22 September 2014. Singapore is committed to playing our part in the global effort to promote nuclear security. We strongly encourage Member States that have not yet done so to accede to the CPPNM and its Amendment.
4. We also note that not all IAEA Member States are Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS). We strongly encourage all remaining Member States to become Contracting Parties, in particular countries embarking on, or already possessing a new nuclear power programme.
5. The 6th Review Meeting of the CNS earlier this year adopted important decisions to strengthen the international nuclear safety framework. One such decision was to convene a Diplomatic Conference to discuss the proposal by Switzerland to amend Article 18 of the Convention. Singapore strongly supports the Swiss proposal because the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident is a stark reminder of the importance of preventing off-site contamination in the event of nuclear accidents. We urge all Contracting Parties to do so as well. Nuclear safety is of paramount importance and should not be undermined by commercial or other considerations.
6. Strengthening nuclear safety is a long term, ongoing effort and we cannot afford to be complacent. We understand that the IAEA Secretariat intends to wind down the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety and merge its elements with its regular programmes. Even so, we hope the Secretariat will continue to emphasise the 12 items in the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety in its regular programmes. In this regard, we look forward to the publication of the IAEA’s comprehensive report on the Fukushima nuclear accident.
7. My delegation firmly believes in the importance of strengthening regional cooperation on nuclear issues. In Southeast Asia, we have strengthened cooperation in nuclear safety by sharing radiation monitoring data and collaborating on emergency preparedness and response, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Network of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) platform. We also participate actively in relevant multilateral and regional initiatives, including the Container Security Initiative, the Proliferation Security Initiative, the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, and the Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation.
Mr President,
8. While Singapore supports the right of all sovereign states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, this must be in accordance with the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Therefore, my delegation is concerned that several countries still remain outside the ambit of the NPT, and call upon these states to accede to the NPT as soon as possible.
9. We are also encouraged by the positive developments on the Iranian nuclear dossier in the past year to address the international community’s concerns over the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. However, we note that Iran has not fully implemented measures that were agreed on in the third phase of the Framework of Cooperation, nor responded to the IAEA’s request to propose new practical measures for the next phase. We strongly encourage Iran to implement all agreed measures in good time, and hope that an agreement on the next set of practical measures will be reached soon.
10. In addition, we urge the Democratic Republic of Korea to return to the NPT, fully comply with all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and cooperate promptly with the IAEA in the full and effective implementation of its comprehensive safeguards obligations.
11. My delegation also notes that nuclear disarmament is one of the three pillars of the NPT. In this regard, Singapore strongly supports the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones as an important confidence-building measure, and we seek to preserve Southeast Asia as a zone free of nuclear weapons. We therefore call on the Nuclear-Weapon States to accede to the Protocol of the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty, as early as possible, without reservations.
Mr President,
12. Finally, my delegation welcomes the IAEA’s important contributions in developing innovative and peaceful applications for nuclear technology that help to tackle serious global challenges ranging from climate change, food security to health.
13. This area of the IAEA’s work, including its collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on using nuclear technology to improve food security, deserves more attention and support especially in view of the current, strong emphasis on sustainable development and the post-2015 development agenda. In this regard, Singapore has been a long-time collaborator of the IAEA in providing technical assistance to other Member States through scientific visits, fellowship attachments, and regional events in subjects ranging from nuclear medicine, radiotherapy to radiation protection. We also welcome the establishment of the IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre to address the growing problem of ocean acidification. Singapore will continue to seek new areas of cooperation with the IAEA to provide relevant technical assistance to Member States.
Mr President,
14. I reaffirm Singapore’s continued support of the IAEA’s work. Thank you.
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