2009 IAEA/GC: GENERAL DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 UNVIE VIENNA 000456 STATE FOR IO/GS, ISN, ISN/MNSA - WONG, DAVIS, COCKERHAM, RUDOLPH - ISN/NESS - STRATFORD, BURKART - ISN/RA - DANIEL, NEPHEW, GROMOLL DOE FOR S-1, S-2 - NE - MCGINNIS, CLAPPER, HERCZEG, HAN - NA 20 - BAKER, WITTROCK - NA 24 - LERSTEN, GOOREVICH, BRUNS NRC FOR OIP - MDOANE, JSCHWARZMAN ROME FOR USMISSION TO FAO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KNNP IAEA ENRG TRGY IR KN SY LY IN SUBJECT: 2009 IAEA/GC: GENERAL DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Director General ElBaradei opened the IAEA General Conference on September 14 with a valedictory address looking back on his 12-year tenure. He observed that the IAEA has made considerable progress in many areas, from improving access to energy, food and water for people in need, to helping to enhance the safety and security of nuclear materials and facilities. ElBaradei cautioned however, that "so many of the issues I raised back then are still with us today" - nuclear verification in the DPRK, the lack of significant progress in nuclear disarmament and the perennial problems of inadequate Agency funding and legal authority for IAEA safeguards. He once again urged Iran to work more closely with the IAEA and sign the Additional Protocol. Then, following his formal appointment as the next IAEA Director General at the opening of the GC, DG-designate Yukiya Amano also took the floor to deliver general remarks on the challenges ahead for the Agency. Amano cited increasing risks of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism, the rise in demand for energy coupled with concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, food security, human health and water availability. He also noted that the Agency must use its resources, both financial and human, responsibly. The U.S., on behalf of the North America Group, and other regional groups delivered statements thanking ElBaradei for his service and welcoming Amano. ¶2. (U) The General Debate in the GC Plenary spanned four days, including national statements from 110 member states and inter-governmental organizations. The UN Secretary General's message, delivered by High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Duarte, thanked the DG for his service and extended full support for newly appointed DG Amano. The SYG highlighted the September 24 UN Security Council nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation summit. His message called for universal adherence to the Additional Protocol; for all NNWS to bring into force safeguards agreements in advance of the 2010 NPT Revcon and for states to cooperate fully with the IAEA. The SYG also reaffirmed international support for resuming Six-party talks on the DPRK. Speaking third in the General Debate, Secretary of Energy Chu delivered the U.S. statement and a Presidential message in support of the IAEA. A number of countries offered their thanks to outgoing DG El-Baradei and support to incoming DG Amano. Several states highlighted non-proliferation challenges in Iran, Syria and the DPRK. Arab states focused heavily on Middle East safeguards, citing double standards as regards Israel for creating an imbalance in the region. [NOTE: National statements are posted at www.iaea.org. END NOTE] END SUMMARY. -------------- DG's Introductory Remarks -------------- ¶3. (U) The DG focused his statement on comparing the state of the Agency in 1997 when he assumed the position of Director General, and the present day. He noted considerable progress in many areas, from improving access to energy, food and water for people in need, to helping to enhance the safety and security of nuclear materials and facilities, but noted many issues remained the same: verification in the DPRK, the lack of any significant progress in nuclear disarmament and inadequate Agency funding and legal authority. By contrast to 1997, he noted that the expected expansion of nuclear power will create more demands on the Agency. The DG noted the growth in the size of the Technical Cooperation Program from a modest 80 million USD in 1998 to disbursement of 96 million USD in ¶2008. He called for a dramatic increase in TC funding and emphasized the importance of the IAEA Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT). ¶4. (U) The DG noted that Agency safeguards had progressed from verification of declared nuclear material at declared facilities to assessing information on a State's nuclear program and, most importantly, verifying the absence of undeclared activities. He noted that the IAEA was implementing "integrated safeguards" in more than 40 countries, and was making increasing use of advanced technology. Nonetheless, he emphasized that in order to detect possible clandestine nuclear material and activities, the IAEA UNVIE VIEN 00000456 002 OF 004 needed to have greater legal authority (including implementation of comprehensive safeguards and APs),technology and resources. He also noted the need for legal authority and expertise for IAEA to pursue alleged weaponization activities. He regretted the fallout from the Iraq war and recalled the Agency's assessment of Iran not having revived its nuclear weapons program and its unheeded request for more verification work prior to the war as a "valuable investment in peace." The DG added that it gave him no consolation that the Agency's findings were subsequently vindicated. ¶5. (U) In the case of the DPRK, the DG reminded that the Agency had sounded the alarm and reported the country to the Security Council for non-compliance with its non-proliferation obligations as far back as 1993. He derived important lessons learned from Iraq and the DPRK, including the need to let diplomacy and thorough verification take their course. The DG also noted that the U.N. Security Council needs to develop a comprehensive compliance mechanism that does not rely only on sanctions and, as the international community move towards nuclear disarmament, he called for strengthening the Agency's verification mandate, noting this as a prerequisite for nuclear disarmament. Turning to Iran, the DG called for Iran to engage substantively with the Agency to clarify difficult and important questions regarding the authenticity of information relating to alleged weaponization studies and to implement the Additional Protocol. He welcomed the U.S. offer to initiate a dialogue with Iran, without preconditions and on the basis of mutual respect. ¶6. (U) The DG asserted that it had become increasingly difficult to call on non-nuclear weapons states (NNWS) to renounce nuclear weapons in perpetuity and accept new measures to strengthen non-proliferation if nuclear-weapon states continue to modernize and almost glorify their nuclear arsenals. He specifically referenced NATO's current Strategic Concept, which says the purpose of the Alliance's nuclear weapons was "to preserve peace and prevent coercion and any kind of war," given that "conventional forces alone cannot ensure credible deterrence." ¶7. (U) The DG also emphasized that the proposed IAEA low-enriched uranium (LEU) bank and an LEU reserve in Russia would be last-resort assurance for countries with nuclear power programs that face a supply disruption for non-commercial reasons. Such a reserve would give countries confidence that they can count on supplies of fuel to run their nuclear power plants and do not have to develop their own fuel cycle facilities. Nevertheless, he said that under such proposals, no country would have to give up any of its rights under the NPT, including the right to develop its own fuel cycle. -------------- U.S. Statement -------------- ¶11. (U) The third speaker in the General Debate, Secretary of Energy Chu delivered the U.S. statement and a message from President Obama. pddMQQ@JQQngD The Presidential message pledged that the U.S. would do its part to support the Agency's goals, including strengthening safeguards, and promoting nuclear safety, security and peaceful nuclear energy and applications. Secretary Chu reminded Member States of the President's commitment to create a world free of nuclear weapons and the need to strengthen the NPT. Full text of the U.S. statement is available at www.doe.gov and www.iaea.org. -------------- Group Themes -------------- ¶12. (U) Each regional group thanked outgoing DG ElBaradei for his service and pledged support for incoming DG Amano. Africa Group member states highlighted the need for more Technical Cooperation (TC) by speaking about success stories in areas of human health, tsetse fly eradication, and agriculture. The Arab League, as in past years, singled out Israel and its purported nuclear capabilities, and included allusions to the Iranian-proposed agenda item on preventing military attacks on nuclear facilities. Citing Israel as the destabilizing force in the Middle East, many Arab League members reminded that they were members of the NPT. Sweden, UNVIE VIEN 00000456 003 OF 004 on behalf of the EU, Albania, Bosnia, Iceland, Norway, Moldova, and Ukraine, highlighted the EU's commitment to all three NPT pillars, called on Iran to fully comply with all UN resolutions and urged the DPRK to return to Six-Party talks. Individual EU members delivered national statements along the same lines. The EU also welcomed the March 2010 Nuclear Security Summit hosted by the U.S. and called upon all Member States to fund nuclear security and TC more fully. Similarly to the African Group, members of the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC),highlighted the Agency's TC program citing success in the fields of water management, human health, and nuclear energy development. Many GRULAC members supported President Obama's call for a nuclear-weapons free world and called upon the DPRK to re-commit to Six-Party talks. Within GRULAC, a few Caribbean members led by Haiti, focused on the plight of less developed countries (LDCs) and called for more technical cooperation and assistance. -------------- -------------- Nuclear Verification: Iran -------------- -------------- ¶13. (U) Iranian Vice President and Atomic Energy Agency of Iran (AEOI) Director Salehi delivered Iran's statement. Salehi noted his personal involvement in facilitating recent inspections at Arak and Natanz and described Iran as a "peace-loving" nation. He cautioned against threatening Iran's national security on the pretext of verification and at the behest of a few Western nations. Insisting that Iran is in compliance with its international obligations, Salehi also highlighted Iran's achievements in the nuclear arena. Later, following Israel's national statement, Iran exercised its "right of reply" to say that a non-NPT signatory (Israel) had made false allegations against Iran and calling the Zionist regime a threat to peace. ¶14. (U) More than two dozen IAEA members referred to Iran in their General Debate statements; most were critical. The EU, UK, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Norway, Ireland, and Malta variously urged Iran to cooperate with the IAEA (or noted Iran's defiance),implement the AP and/or related transparency measures, comply with UNSCRs and change course. The EU affirmed that as the guarantor of international security the UNSC was an important partner of the IAEA. ¶15. (U) Other national statements, including by some current or incoming UNSC members, were more balanced. China said the Iran portfolio should be settled in an appropriate manner. Chile and Mexico welcomed positive progress on the Iran work plan and urged Iran to intensify cooperation and clarify outstanding issues. Turkey shared the DG's concern that the Agency is not able to verify the full scope of Iran's program. Ukraine supported constructive dialogue between Iran and the Agency. Malaysia welcomed recent Iranian cooperation but also called for clarification of outstanding issues. Sudan welcomed IAEA activities in Iran and encouraged a peaceful conclusion. As would be expected, Cuba came to Iran's defense arguing that political manipulation should have been stopped long ago. -------------- -------------- Nuclear Verification: DPRK -------------- -------------- ¶16. (U) The majority of Member States called on the DPRK to cooperate fully with the UN Security Council and IAEA. Singapore, Norway, Greece, the EU, Malta, Bulgaria, Austria, Thailand, the UK, Turkey, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, Philippines, Germany, France, Mexico, Chile, Italy, Sweden, Japan, and Korea, among others called on the DPRK to rejoin Six-Party Talks and all voiced concern over recent actions. China said it would work with all relevant parties to pursue denuclearization of the peninsula. The CTBTO representative, while deploring DPRK actions, noted that the two DPRK test explosions in 2006 and 2009 proved the reliability of the CTBTO detection system. -------------- Nuclear Verification: Syria -------------- UNVIE VIEN 00000456 004 OF 004 ¶17. (U) A number of Member States called upon Syria to cooperate more fully with the IAEA. Turkey, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Germany, Ukraine, Sweden, Belgium, and France, among others called upon Syria to demonstrate transparency and cooperation in the application of its Safeguards Agreement. Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba, and Malaysia called for the Syria investigation to be closed or at a minimum not be influenced by outside parties. In this regard, some Arab Group Members highlighted the failure to achieve a nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East and singled out Israel's attack on the Syrian facility as proof of the dangers faced by states in the Middle East. -------------- NPT and CTBTO -------------- ¶18. (U) Given the upcoming NPT RevCon, many member states affirmed their commitment to the NPT and its role as the cornerstone of the global nonproliferation regime. Member States such as the Holy See and the Philippines also singled out the CTBTO in their statements reminding of its important within the international community. Sweden, on behalf of the EU, called on the NPT RevCon to adopt a concrete set of pragmatic, effective, and consensual measures for stepping up counter proliferation efforts. -------------- Assured Supply -------------- ¶20. (U) Only a few Member States mentioned the need for assured supply of nuclear fuel in the event of an interruption of supply. Russia reported on the progress of the International Enrichment Center at Angarsk as a multi-national commercial arrangement and reaffirmed its commitment to maintain, as a contribution to the Agency, a safeguarded LEU reserve for the IAEA at that facility in Angarsk. China used its statement to highlight the need for further, in-depth discussion among Member States on the recent proposals for assured supply. Ultimately, China said, it would like to see a mechanism established. -------------- An End in Sight... -------------- ¶21. (U) Comment: 110 national statements spanning four days finally brought an end to the plenary sessions and the GC President could move on in the agenda. Because of repeated lengthy statements and delegations' failure to observe the recommended fifteen-minute limit on their national statements, the GC President and Secretariat asked the General Committee to consider how to curb national statements. The General Committee agreed that in 2010 the 13-minute warning light would be made visible to the entire hall (heretofore it has been visible only to the speaker and others on the podium). This measure of moral suasion will, it is to be hoped, make it unnecessary to contemplate shutting off microphones as a deterrent against long-windedness. En Comment. DAVIES