§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether the International Atomic Energy Agency has the authority to conduct334W special investigations at facilities that have not been previously reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assessment has been made by his Department of the effectiveness of the non-proliferation safeguards set out in the International Atomic Energy Agency document INFCIRO/153; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarI have been asked to reply.
An assessment of the effectiveness of IAEA safeguards is provided in the agency's annual report. The 1991 report stated:
it is considered reasonable to conclude that the nuclear material placed under safeguards remained in peaceful nuclear activities or was otherwise adequately accounted for".Previous annual reports have recorded similar findings.
The agency's report also recorded, however, that:
Inspection activities carried out pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 reveal that Iraq had not complied with the obligations under its safeguards agreement to declare certain nuclear activities and place all relevant nuclear material under safeguards".In the light of the discoveries in Iraq and other recent developments, the board of governors has considered at length ways in which the agency's safeguards system might be further strengthened. As part of this exercise the February board of governors reaffirmed the agency's right, under safeguards agreements concluded under the non-proliferation treaty, to undertake special inspections including locations other than those declared by states. A proposal for the early provision of design information on new and modified facilities was also accepted.
At its June and September board of governors meetings, the IAEA examined proposals which would give the agency important additional information on exports and imports of nuclear material and on exports of certain relevant equipment and non-nuclear materials. The agency's member states are examining options for providing such information.
335WThe agency's board will continue to examine improvements in the strength and cost effectiveness of the agency's safeguards activities from time to time. The United Kingdom attaches great importance to the subject and will continue to play a full part in these discussions.
§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications his Department has had with his counterparts in Russia and other states in the Commonwealth of Independant States relating to the funding of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarI have been asked to reply.
Officials have frequent bilateral contact with counterparts from the Russian Federation and CIS states during meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency's general conference and board of governors at which various matters are discussed including the funding of the IAEA.