Hopeful message as nuclear energy conference ends

However UAE expresses disappointment at failure to establish a conference on Middle East nuclear-free zone.

VIENNA // The failure to establish a conference on a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons was “a disappointment” to the UAE and countries in the region, said the UAE’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But the closing session of the IAEA’s scientific forum on radioactive waste management sent a hopeful message for the future of global nuclear security and safety.

In the UAE’s statement to the general conference in Vienna yesterday, Hamad Alkaabi said countries of the region were hoping the Middle East conference would be convened and implemented successfully.

“However, the failure is a disappointment to my country and countries in the region,” he said.

“We continue to engage in various consultations with the facilitator, the conveners and countries of the region and call for holding such a conference at an early date.”

A nuclear weapon-free zone would require agreement among states not to develop or deploy such weapons and to declare themselves weapons-free.

Although the initial proposal for such a zone dates to 1974, a draft, which takes in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, was submitted last November. It included members of the Arab League, Israel and Iran.

Mr Alkaabi said the UAE believed the conference would pave the way towards the establishment of a such a zone. In his statement, he also said a review of the UAE’s nuclear regulatory framework was planned for next year with the IAEA to strengthen the country’s nuclear safety infrastructure.

“Other missions are scheduled to take place in the next two years in emergency preparedness and response, operational safety and physical protection,” he said. “The UAE has recently and successfully undergone an IAEA mission that assessed the country’s control of nuclear material.”

At the event’s closing session, countries including the UAE were advised to establish a comprehensive plan to address the issue of nuclear waste.

The forum concluded with a message for newcomers to integrate a holistic approach to their nuclear power programme.

“An important thing is that everyone is now aware that technologies exist,” said Yukiya Amano, the agency’s director general. “Waste management is not a greater challenge for member states. It is for all countries, whether they use nuclear technology for power, health care or agriculture. They need to address this issue of waste and the responsibility is the same for all.”

He said addressing the issues of spent fuel from nuclear power plants and radioactive sources from hospitals involved the same process.

“The key issue is to establish a comprehensive plan to address the nuclear waste issue,” Mr Amano said. “By comprehensive plan, I mean a plan from the cradle to the grave. From day one of using nuclear technologies, countries need to think of this. Perhaps the best way is to think of the last day of disposal.”

He said the key message for newcomers was to take into account the safety aspect.

“I see many countries are keen to use nuclear technology for power, medical purpose or agriculture,” he said. “But when they do, they have to think of safety, not just in technology, but in waste, as well as security and safeguards.”

David Huizenga, assistant deputy administrator for defence nuclear non-proliferation at the US state department of energy, said: “It’s clear to us that nuclear technology and nuclear application affects our lives in many different ways, from electric power to nuclear medicine and research and development as well as industrial uses.”

He said the joint convention on nuclear security and safety, scheduled for May, was a way to bring countries together every three years to review their national programmes.

“They then send peer reviews of what they’re doing at home, share it with the rest of the world and learn lessons from one another,” Mr Huizenga said. “Ultimately, for us to be successful in a safe waste management, we have to be transparent, honest and basically convince the public that we know what we’re doing.

“We have the technologies in place that allow us to safely manage waste and new ways to improve it for the future.”