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IAEA needs EUR 700,000 to verify NPT safeguards in Iran

VIENNA, Sept 15 (KUNA) -- Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano opened the third meeting of the Agency's Board of Governors for the year on Monday with a call for providing EUR 700,000 in voluntary contributions to fund the Agency's activities in Iran.
In his introductory statement to the meeting, he dealt with the implementation of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran saying: "The Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement.
"However, the Agency is not in a position to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.
"Last month, I held meetings in Tehran with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Dr. Hassan Rouhani, and other senior officials as part of my efforts to advance high-level dialogue between the Agency and Iran," he said.
"I stressed the importance of the timely implementation of the Framework for Cooperation. I noted Iran's statement of its firm, high-level commitment to implementing the Framework for Cooperation and its stated willingness to accelerate the resolution of all outstanding issues.
"Iran has implemented three of the five practical measures agreed with the Agency in the third step of the Framework for Cooperation.
"Two of these were implemented after the agreed deadline of August 25. Iran has begun discussions with the Agency on the two remaining practical measures," he pointed out.
"The Agency asked Iran to propose new practical measures by September 2, to be implemented by Iran in the next step of the Framework for Cooperation. Iran has yet to propose such measures.
"In order to resolve all outstanding issues, past and present, it is very important that Iran continues to implement, in a timely manner, all practical measures agreed under the Framework for Cooperation, and that it proposes new measures that we can agree upon for the next step.
"The Agency continues to undertake monitoring and verification in relation to the measures set out in the Joint Plan of Action agreed between the E3+3 (also known as P5+1) and Iran, which has been extended.
"Continuation of our activities will require additional funding of EUR one million, of which around EUR 300,000 have so far been pledged. I invite Member States which wish to do so to make contributions," he went on.
Of the EUR 300,000, the State of Kuwait pledged EUR 250,000 last May. The country's Ambassador to Austria and Resident Representative to the UN agencies in Vienna Sadiq Marafi handed over the donation to Amano.
"As my report on Application of IAEA Safeguards in the Middle East shows, there remain long-standing and fundamental differences of views among countries of the region with regard to the application of comprehensive Agency safeguards to all nuclear activities in the region.
"In these circumstances, it has not been possible to make further progress in fulfilling my mandate from the General Conference in this area. I will continue my consultations," he added.
During their week-long deliberations, the 35-Member State Board will discuss a number of issues, including measures to strengthen international cooperation in nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety.
The Board will also receive an update on progress in the implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, and will consider the 2014 Nuclear Security Report, as well as the Programme Performance Report for 2012-2013. In August 2009, Kuwait donated USD 10 million to the IAEA-conceived nuclear fuel bank to facilitate the Member States' access to civil nuclear energy. (end) amg.gb