Kuwait's election as IAEA board member signals States' admiration -- envoy

VIENNA, Sept 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Sadeq Marafi on Friday stated that Kuwait's earning of membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors by unanimous votes portrayed the 35 member states' deep admiration toward the country.
The ambassador, in a statement to KUNA upon conclusion of the IAEA's 63rd annual convention today that had lasted for five days, said the board is the most supreme executive apparatus in the international agency after the general assembly. Kuwait has earned membership in the board for the fifth time since joining the IAEA 55 years ago, Marafi said.
He indicated that Kuwait's election coincided with current preparations within the IAEA quarters to elect a new director general to succeed the late Yukiya Amano, adding that nominees from Romania, Slovakia, Argentina and Burkina Faso were contending for the top seat.
Kuwait, he said, has affirmed its commitment to partake "in a constructive manner in the process of selecting the most qualified nominee" for the post. Moreover, Marafi re-affirmed Kuwait's support for the IAEA pioneering role and the outcome for Kuwait, reaped during the convention.
Moreover, two agreements for updating nuclear and technological sciences as well as monitoring and protecting marine environment were signed between Kuwait and the IAEA during the conference, he said, indicating that these accords would back up the Kuwaiti institutions.
In an address to the conferees, during the gathering earlier, Marafi affirmed the State of Kuwait persistent adherence to the approach toward establishing a zone free of nuclear or weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the Middle East.
Such an approach will contribute to the region stability, in addition to preserving its security as well as boosting global peace, Ambassador Marafi stated.
Marafi praised a declaration by the IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta, affirming that the agency would partake in a convention in New York in November on ridding the Middle East of the WMDs.
Earlier today, the IAEA wrapped up the annual 63 conference, during which stakeholders affirmed the need for boosting peaceful usage of nuclear energy.
Although the Israeli delegation argued during the sessions that the demand to enlist the Israeli nuclear file in the agenda was politically motivated, representatives of Arab States insisted on its inclusion and addressed a statement to the conferees, re-demanding that Israel must join the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and called anew for allowing international experts examine Tel Aviv's nuclear facilities.
The conferees, during the annual gathering, adopted a number of resolutions on boosting international collaboration in the nuclear field and anti-radiation safety.
The session adopted a draft resolution, presented by Egypt, on applying the IAEA safeguards in the Middle East with 117 votes in favor, 10 absentees and a single opponent, Israel.
The adopted resolution called on all stakeholders to "seriously examine practical and adequate steps with respect of implementing the proposal on imposing safeguards to all activities in the Middle East, or establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle east that can be verified on mutual and effective basis." On North Korea, the conferees urged Pyongyang to fully abide by the NPT and cooperate with the agency on enforcing the safeguards with respect of nuclear weapons non-proliferation.
The IAEA eyes with deep concern North Korea's nuclear activities.
The Kuwaiti delegation to the conference was headed by Ambassador Marafi and included Director General of Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences Dr. Adnan Shehabeddine, Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research Dr. Samira Omar, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations' Affairs Abdulaziz Al-Jarallah, the national liaison officer at the IAEA Dr. Osama Al-Sayegh and Director General of Jaber Al-Ahmad Center for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Fahad Marafi. (end) amq.mah.rk