[E-rundbrief] Info 538 - Nuclear Energy and UN

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 538 - Beatrice Fihn (WILPF): 
Nuclear Energy. A text for the NGO-newsletter to 
the NPT - Nuclear Proliferation Treaty - 
Preparatory Committee Conference in Vienna, 30.4. - 11.5.07.

Bad Ischl, 9.5.2007

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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Nuclear Energy

Beatrice Fihn

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

During the general debate (of the NPT - Nuclear 
Proliferation Treaty - Preparatory Committee 
Conference in Vienna, 30.4. - 11.5.07), many 
states addressed the issue of developing nuclear 
energy for peaceful purposes. The Austrian 
Minister for EU and International Affairs, Ursula 
Plassnik, made a statement on the opening day 
calling for multilateral controls over the 
nuclear fuel cycle, something the IAEA 
(International Atomic Energy Agency) has been 
discussing since at least the 1970s. Austria then 
submitted these ideas in a food-for-thought paper 
to the conference, called ”Multilateralization of 
the nuclear fuel cycle” (NPT/CONF.2010/PC.1/7). 
In this paper, Austria recognizes the difficulty 
of states having full access to nuclear 
technology while ensuring the prevention of 
proliferation of nuclear weapons. Austria 
suggests that if all all states would declare 
their nuclear programmes, development plans, 
activities, transfer of materials and related 
technologies to the IAEA and to each other, this 
would increase transparency beyond what is 
currently called for. Austria also proposes that 
all nuclear fuel transactions should be done 
under the auspices of a nuclear fuel bank, which 
would ensure, monitor, and verify equal 
distribution. This could also (although not noted 
in Austria’s paper) increase health and 
environmental risks through increased 
transportation of nuclear materials, increased 
risks of nuclear terrorism and, as Switzerland 
alluded to in its general debate statement, 
increased risks of proliferation through because 
of more nuclear facilities around the world. In 
its comprehensive working paper, Japan also 
discusses various proposals to establish back-up 
mechanisms for future nuclear fuel supply 
problems, and to develop proliferation-resistant 
nuclear fuel cycle technologies.

In its working paper (NPT/CONF.2010/PC.1/WP.1), 
Syria calls for the IAEA to more actively promote 
and facilitate the transfer of nuclear science 
and technology. The Non-Aligned Movement's 
working paper (WP.16) also calls for ”balance” 
between the Agency’s monitoring activities and 
its dissemination of nuclear technology and 
applications. In this paper, the NAM implies that 
making the additional protocol a condition of 
supply or assistance would contradict the 
”inalienable right” of States parties to develop 
peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

Egypt's working paper (WP.14) urges the IAEA, 
nuclear weapon states, and non-nuclear weapon 
states with advanced nuclear technology to assist 
interested states that have completed 
Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements with the 
IAEA, in development, research, production, and 
use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. No 
working papers so far have noted that there are 
still 31 states that have not yet concluded 
Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements (as required 
under Article 3) with the IAEA.

An expansion of the global nuclear energy 
industry might also increase the risk of 
catastrophic accidents or terrorist attacks on 
reactors or their spent fuel storage. Japan’s 
comprehensive working paper urges all states to 
ratify the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the 
Joint Convention on Safety on Spent Fuel 
Management, and the Safety and Radioactive Waste Management.

Not only does nuclear energy have serious 
environmental effects, but it has 
non-proliferation risks as well. The spread of 
these technologies increases the risks of their 
misuse, including the diversion of nuclear 
material for use in weapons and the use of 
knowledge gained from operating such facilities 
for a clandestine nuclear weapon programme.

Aus "News in Review", Nr. 7, 8.5.2007, daily 
NGO-newsletter to the NPT - Nuclear Proliferation 
Treaty - Preparatory Committee Conference in 
Vienna, 30.4. - 11.5.07,  Edited by the team of 
"Reaching Critical Will", 
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/NIR2007/Day7.pdf

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P.S.

Den Teil der NGO-Stellungnahme über "Nuclear 
Power - Nuclear Weapons" (Autorin: Alice Slater/ 
USA), den ich am 2.5. bei der UN-NPT-Konferenz 
vorgetragen habe, werde ich in einigen Tagen auf die Homepage stellen.

The part of the NGO-statement on "Nuclear Power - 
Nuclear Weapons" (author: Alice Slater/ USA), I 
have read at the UN-NPT-conference will be posted 
on our homepage within the next days.

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