World
Seeking strong national measures and global cooperation against nuclear terrorism, world leaders on Tuesday underlined the central role of IAEA in strengthening the atomic security framework.
Updated : Mar 27, 2012, 03:19 PM IST
Seeking strong national measures and global cooperation against nuclear terrorism, world leaders on Tuesday underlined the central role of IAEA in strengthening the atomic security framework and insisted that the rights of States to peaceful use of nuclear energy will not be hampered.
"We stress the fundamental responsibility of States, consistent with their respective national and international obligations, to maintain effective security of all nuclear materials, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons and nuclear facilities under their control," the Seoul Communique said at the end of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit.
The communique, adopted by 53 world leaders and five multilateral organisations, also highlighted the fundamental responsibility of the States to prevent non-state actors from acquiring such materials and from obtaining information or technology required to use them for malicious purposes.
"Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security," it said. "Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation."
"We reaffirm that measures to strengthen nuclear security will not hamper the rights of States to develop and utilise nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," it said.
The leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama, reaffirmed the essential responsibility and central role of the IAEA in strengthening the international nuclear security framework, and recognised the value of the IAEA Nuclear Security Plan 2010-2013.
"We will work to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to support the implementation of nuclear security objectives," the communique said.
"We also encourage continued IAEA activities to assist, upon request, national efforts to establish and enhance nuclear security infrastructure through its various support programmes, and encourage States to make use of these IAEA resources," the communique said.
The leaders urged States, in a position to do so, and the nuclear industry to increase voluntary contributions to IAEA's Nuclear Security Fund, as well as in-kind contributions.
They also acknowledged that safety and security measures have in common the aim of protecting human life and health and the environment. "We affirm that nuclear security and nuclear safety measures should be designed, implemented and managed in nuclear facilities in a coherent and synergistic manner."
Recognising that highly enriched uranium (HEU) and separated plutonium require special precautions, the leaders encouraged States to consider the safe, secure and timely removal and disposition of nuclear materials from facilities no longer using them, as appropriate, and consistent with national security considerations and development objectives.
The leaders will continue efforts to enhance security of nuclear and other radioactive materials while in domestic and international transport, and encourage States to share best practices and cooperate in acquiring necessary technologies.
"Recognising the importance of a national layered defence against the loss or theft of nuclear and other radioactive materials, we encourage the establishment of effective national nuclear material inventory management and domestic tracking mechanisms, where required, that enable States to take appropriate measures to recover lost and stolen materials," the communique said.
Referring to Fukushima atomic accident in Japan and the nexus between nuclear security and nuclear safety, the leaders consider that sustained efforts were required to address the issues of nuclear safety and nuclear security in a coherent manner that will help ensure the safe and secure peaceful uses of nuclear energy.