HC Deb 06 April 1976 vol 909 cc111-2W
Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with the proposal that the International Atomic Energy Agency should prepare a system of comprehensive fuel-cycle safeguards which can be accepted by all non-nuclear weapon States, whether or not they are party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Mr. Ennals

On 25th February the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna adopted the following resolution on full fuel-cycle safeguards which was introduced by the Governor of the United Kingdom and co-sponsored by the Governors of the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, the Soviet Union, Venezuela, the United States, Bangladesh, Poland and the German Democratic Republic.

Following is the Text of the Resolution: (A) Mindful of the role given to the Agency by Article 111(5) of its statute to quote establish and administer safeguards unquote: (B) Noting the intention expressed by Non-Nuclear Weapon States, whether or not parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to confine their nuclear programme to peaceful purposes: (C) Believing that IAEA safeguards play an import role in giving assurance that nuclear programmes are not used to further any military purpose: (D) Believing furthermore that exchanges would be facilitated by the further application of safeguards: (E) Recognising that the Agency has, over a period of years, acquired considerable experience in the application of safeguards and the implementation of safeguards agreements, and that existing safeguards agreements offer an appropriate technical basis for the application of safeguards over the whole fuel cycle, and wishing to make the best possible use of this experience: (F) Recognising also that it is for individual member states to decide what international obligations to undertake and what type of safeguards agreement to accept: (G) Recognising furthermore that the preparation of a new document on safeguards would not affect the existing obligations of member states, whether or not party to NPT, nor would it prejudice any safeguards negotiations which they may wish to enter into with the Agency in the future:

  1. 1. Requests the Director-General to prepare, for use by States interested in arranging 112 for Agency safeguards on all their nuclear activities, a document setting out the possible content of safeguards agreements between the Agency and such States:
  2. 2. Invites such States to communicate with the Director-General with a view to initiating negotiations to that end:
  3. 3. Requests the Director-General to keep the Board informed of the progress made in implementing this Resolution.