A/72/PV.46 General Assembly

I now invite Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to introduce the report of the Agency for the year 2016.

The sixtieth-anniversary year of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is drawing to a close. Over the past six decades, the Agency has contributed to international peace and security and made a real difference in the lives of millions of people. Thanks to the support of member States and the dedication of our excellent staff, we can take pride in important achievements in all areas of our work over that time period, including in the past 12 months. The annual report of the IAEA (see A/72/221) has been distributed to the Assembly. Science and technology are essential for development. Transferring peaceful nuclear technology to developing countries is at the core of the business of the IAEA and one of the most important areas of our work. The IAEA technical cooperation programme is central to the delivery of our “Atoms for Peace and Development” mandate. It has improved the health and prosperity of millions of people and delivered huge benefits to entire communities. The Agency now helps countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in energy, food and agriculture, industry, water management and health, as well as in other areas. We focus on transferring knowledge and technical expertise. The Agency works closely with key United Nations partners, including the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, for the benefit of member States. The first International Conference on the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, which took place this year, attracted high-level participation and enhanced awareness of our unique role in nuclear- technology transfer. The modernization of the IAEA’s nuclear applications laboratories near Vienna continues to make excellent progress. It is one of the most important projects the Agency has ever undertaken, with an investment likely to total around €60 million. I am grateful to the 31 countries and a number of individuals whose generous financial and in-kind contributions have made it possible. The eight laboratories provide assistance to more than 150 countries in areas such as food and agriculture, health and the environment. The new Insect Pest Control Laboratory was inaugurated in September. It will help countries to use nuclear techniques to better control pests such as mosquitoes, tsetse flies and fruit flies. In a few years’ time, when it is completed, the expanded laboratory complex will greatly increase our capabilities as a technology holder, to the benefit of all 168 IAEA member States. Nuclear power is likely to make a growing contribution to sustainable development in the coming decades. The Agency supports countries that want to introduce nuclear power or expand existing programmes. Today, 70 per cent of the world’s electricity comes from fossil fuels. Eleven per cent comes from nuclear power, which is one of the lowest-carbon technologies for generating electricity. However, nuclear power generates almost one third of the global total of low- carbon electricity. By 2050, if the climate-change goals set under the Paris Climate Change Agreement are to be met, around 80 per cent of all electricity will have to be low-carbon. Nuclear-power plants produce virtually no greenhouse-gas emissions or air pollutants during their operation, and emissions over their entire life cycle are very low. So the increased use of nuclear power, as well as of renewables, will help countries to achieve their climate-change goals. The IAEA International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century took place in Abu Dhabi 10 days ago. In his concluding statement, the President of the Conference said that “[f]or many countries, nuclear power is a proven, clean, safe and economical technology that will play an increasingly important role in achieving energy security, reducing the impact of volatile fossil-fuel prices and mitigating the effects of climate change and air pollution.” In August, the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank storage facility was inaugurated in Kazakhstan. It will provide a last-resort mechanism to give countries confidence that they will be able to meet their future needs for nuclear fuel. Turning now to nuclear verification, the number of States with IAEA safeguards agreements in force stands at 182. I encourage all countries to implement the additional protocol, a powerful verification tool that gives the Agency greater access to information and locations. There are now 130 countries with additional protocols in force. The Agency continues to verify and monitor the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed on in 2015. The nuclear- related commitments undertaken by Iran under the JCPOA are being implemented, and it is now subject to the world’s most robust nuclear verification regime. Our inspectors have expanded access to the country’s sites and have more information about Iran’s nuclear programme, which is smaller than it was before the JCPOA came into effect. The Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue. I remain seriously concerned about the nuclear programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Its nuclear test in September, its sixth and largest to date, is extremely regrettable. I call on it to comply fully with its obligations under all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the IAEA. As the Assembly may recall, IAEA inspectors were required to leave the country in 2009. However, the Agency continues to monitor the nuclear programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea through satellite imagery and by collecting open-source information. We are also working to maintain our readiness to return there when political developments make that possible. Safety and security are extremely important in all uses of nuclear technology, whether for power or non-power purposes. Both are national responsibilities, but the IAEA plays a vital role in enabling countries to share experiences and best practices. Lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011 have now been incorporated into the IAEA nuclear-safety standards, ensuring that they will become part of global safety practices. Safety must always come first and we must continue to strengthen a culture of safety. I encourage all member States to ensure the broad application of IAEA safety standards. With its worldwide reach and unrivalled technical expertise, the IAEA has served as the global platform for cooperation in nuclear security for decades. Member States have consistently recognized our central role in strengthening the nuclear-security framework. The IAEA Board of Governors adopted our Nuclear Security Plan 2018- 2021 by consensus in September. At the request of member States, we continue to expand the assistance we provide to enable countries to minimize the risk of nuclear and other radioactive material being used in a malicious way. Sound management of limited resources is essential if the Agency is to be able to meet the growing needs of member States. We will continue to strike a balance between those real needs and the reality that many member States face continued financial constraints. I take the issue of gender parity on the Agency’s staff very seriously. We have significantly increased the proportion of women in the professional and higher categories. It now stands at 29.4 per cent, the highest ever. But we can and must do better. In June, I became an International Gender Champion, part of a leadership network that brings together key decision-makers with the aim of breaking down gender barriers, and made a commitment to increasing the proportion of women in the Agency at the most senior levels. Since becoming Director General nearly eight years ago, I have focused on ensuring that the IAEA continues to be an international organization of excellence that delivers concrete results promptly. The IAEA’s member States have appointed me to a new four-year term starting on 1 December. Delivering concrete results on everything relating to “Atoms for Peace and Development” will remain my focus in the coming years.

I thank the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency for his introduction of the Agency’s report (see A/72/221). I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia to introduce draft resolution A/72/L.6.

My delegation would like to start by thanking Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his presentation of the report of the IAEA (see A/72/221) for the calendar year 2016 and for his statement, which provided updates on the main developments in the Agency’s activities. Indonesia underlines the vital role of the IAEA in fostering international cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and technology, as well as in nuclear safety and security. The IAEA continues to play an important role in providing technical assistance and the necessary support to member States that want to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Indonesia fully supports the work and priorities of the IAEA and the progress that it has made in 2016. We encourage its secretariat to pursue its programme of work in a balanced manner to meet the evolving needs of Member States and to ensure that the benefits of nuclear science and technology for socioeconomic development are spread effectively. We note with interest that 13 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relate directly to the Agency’s areas of competence. The Agency’s efforts, cooperation and assistance in nuclear applications in several fields, including food, agriculture, nuclear technology, power generation, fuel cycles and health, contribute to economic and social development and play a part in the implementation of the SDGs. We underscore the IAEA’s vital work in nuclear safety and security and recognize its central role in verification. However, we would like to reiterate that the responsibility for nuclear security within a State rests entirely with that State, and that nuclear security should not be a condition or prerequisite for technical cooperation projects. In 2016, the IAEA itself saw improvement in its management issues. We note with appreciation the growing proportion of women in professional and higher categories, the highest in the Agency’s history. We also encourage it to make a priority of addressing the issue of member States’ underrepresentation on its staff. Indonesia is honoured to be the Chair of the Board of Governors of the IAEA this year. I am therefore pleased to be able to take this opportunity to introduce to the General Assembly the draft resolution entitled “Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency” (A/72/L.6). The draft text was approved by consensus after the consultations held in Vienna on 4 October. Informal consultations were also held in New York on 27 October. The draft resolution, which the Assembly adopts annually, derives from a requirement based on the statute of the Agency and the cooperation agreement between the United Nations and the Agency, entered into in 1957. As in previous years, the text takes note of and expresses appreciation for the report of the IAEA. It also takes note of the resolutions and decisions adopted by the IAEA General Conference at its sixty- first annual regular session, held in Vienna from 18 to 22 September. It further appeals to Member States to continue to support the Agency’s activities. We are confident that all IAEA member States will agree that the Agency plays an indispensable role in assisting and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. It is our fervent hope that the draft resolution will once again be adopted by consensus this year.

I now give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; the European Free Trade Association country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. We are pleased to support draft resolution A/72/L.46, on the report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which once again reaffirms the Agency’s indispensable role with regard to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and in assisting the development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses, as well as in technology transfer and in nuclear verification, safety and security. We are also pleased to note the strong support that has been expressed for the Agency’s work. The EU is fully committed to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. We reiterate our firm support for the full, complete and effective implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which we regard as the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime, the essential foundation of efforts to pursue nuclear disarmament, in accordance with article VI of the NPT, and as vital to the further development of nuclear-energy applications for peaceful purposes. The EU reaffirms its full support for the establishment of a zone in the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and reiterates its readiness to assist in the process leading to that goal. The IAEA safeguards system is a fundamental component of the nuclear-non-proliferation regime and plays an indispensable role in the implementation of the NPT. We underline the Security Council’s primary responsibility in this area in cases of non-compliance. The EU further recognizes the serious proliferation challenges that continue to be a threat to international security and the importance of finding peaceful and diplomatic solutions to them. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2231 (2015), represents a key and functioning pillar of the international non-proliferation architecture that is even more important to preserve at a time of acute nuclear threat. The EU emphasizes that the IAEA has verified eight times that Iran is implementing all its nuclear-related commitments following a comprehensive and strict monitoring system. The European Union, along with the international community, has clearly indicated its commitment to ensuring that the deal remains in place, and calls on all parties to implement all parts of the JCPOA fully and effectively. In that regard, the EU reiterates the importance of ensuring that Iran continues to abide strictly by all its nuclear- related commitments and cooperates fully and in a timely manner with the IAEA by implementing its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, including by providing all requested access. It is crucial for the IAEA to reach the broader conclusion, which, together with full and sustained implementation of the JCPOA, is essential if we are to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme. In that regard, it is essential to ensure that Iran ratifies its Additional Protocol as soon as possible. The EU fully supports the IAEA’s long-term mission of verifying and monitoring Iran’s nuclear-related commitments and affirms the importance of ensuring that the Agency has the means necessary to carry out its role. The EU strongly condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s latest nuclear test, along with all nuclear-weapon and ballistic-missile activities led by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The latest developments contravening several Security Council resolutions threaten international peace and security and disrupt the strategic equilibrium in Asia and beyond. We urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to reverse its course, abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile programme in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, cease all related activities immediately, return to the NPT and the IAEA safeguards without delay and sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The EU welcomed the Security Council’s unanimous adoption on 11 September of resolution 2375 (2017) and would like to note in that regard the EU’s adoption on 16 October of new autonomous measures complementing and reinforcing the Security Council sanctions in order to increase pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply with its obligations. The EU continues to consider it crucial to maintain an essential role for the IAEA in verifying the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear programme. The EU urges the Syrian regime to cooperate promptly and transparently with the Agency in order to resolve all outstanding issues, including by concluding and implementing its Additional Protocol as soon as possible. We call for the universalization of the comprehensive safeguards agreements, together with their additional protocols, without delay. The EU strongly supports the State-level concept, as well as the further development and application of enhanced capabilities for analytical services, information analysis and technologies. Furthermore, we are actively supporting the Agency’s safeguards system through the European Commission Cooperative Support Programme and the support programmes of some of our member States. The EU and its member States consider the worldwide implementation and continuing improvement of nuclear safety to be of the utmost importance. The goal of nuclear safety, which is also included in the principles enshrined in the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety, adopted in 2015 by the contracting parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, remains a priority for EU member States. The European Union and its member States include in their priorities the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety and the cross-cutting safety issues, as defined by the contracting parties to the Convention, and emphasize the importance of keeping them at the front and centre of the IAEA’s work. In the framework of its strategy to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the European Union is actively supporting Security Council resolutions 1540 (2004), 1887 (2009) and 2325 (2016), as well as other international initiatives that contribute to strengthening nuclear security, such as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the informal Nuclear Security Contact Group. The EU has always been supportive of the Nuclear Security Summit process. Of the €260 million we have dedicated to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risk mitigation worldwide for the period from 2014 to 2020, more than €100 million has been allocated to the EU’s regional chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear Centres of Excellence initiative. The EU stresses the importance of preventing nuclear terrorism and the misuse of nuclear and radioactive material. We strongly support the IAEA’s central role in the global nuclear-security framework and welcome its adoption of the Nuclear Security Plan for the period from 2018 to 2021. We call on IAEA member States to ensure reliable and sustainable resources for those services. Together with its member States, the EU is currently the second biggest donor to the Nuclear Security Fund. EU funds totaling €45 million, with another €75 million from EU member States, have been contributed to the Nuclear Security Fund to date, to the benefit of around 100 countries. The EU welcomed the entry into force in May 2016 of the 2005 amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. We will continue to help States to fully implement the amended Convention’s provisions and encourage the Agency to promote universal adherence to it. The EU remains firmly committed to the benefits of multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle and congratulates both Kazakhstan and the IAEA on the successful construction and opening of a facility dedicated to the operation of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank. The EU is supporting the project with around €25 million, including €20 million for acquiring low-enriched uranium and around €4.4 million for safety- and security-related measures, and welcomes the Agency’s launch of the fair and transparent acquisition process that the establishment of the Bank requires. Finally, the EU and its 28 member States continue to be strong supporters of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme, including through the Technical Cooperation Fund and the Peaceful Uses Initiative. The EU is the second-largest contributor to the Programme, and we support both the IAEA and its member States in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and technology, as well as with our technical expertise, with an average of €15 million annually.

I thank Mr. Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his presentation of the report (see A/72/221) of the work of the Agency in 2016. As Monaco’s delegation reaffirmed at the IAEA’s Scientific Forum in September, “Monaco is fully committed to building a peaceful and better world through the use of nuclear applications for sustainable development”. By assisting countries in using nuclear and isotopic techniques, the IAEA contributes directly to the achievement of most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The peaceful use of nuclear technology is reflected in many areas that Monaco considers particularly important. In the area of the environment, isotope techniques provide accurate assessments of soil erosion and the areas that are most vulnerable to it. Such assessments can reverse the process of land degradation and restore soils, thereby helping to halt the loss of biodiversity. As mentioned in the Agency’s annual report of the Agency, in 2016 the Marine Environmental Studies Laboratory celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. It was established in Monaco to assist Member States in monitoring marine pollution and analyzing contaminants in marine samples, in close collaboration with the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme. It has trained more than 400 scientists to date. In the area of agriculture, nuclear and isotopic techniques can improve food security, including through the detection and prevention of animal diseases, soil conservation and the management of irrigation water resources. Monaco also fully supports the Agency and its health programmes aimed at reducing mortality from non-communicable diseases. In particular, since 2008, Monaco has been supporting the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy, designed to create radiological medicine facility services and provide theoretical and practical training for specialized health professionals. The IAEA’s activities aimed at planning and ensuring access to nuclear-power programmes and clean, reliable and affordable energy sources are other important contributions that it makes to implementing the SDGs. My delegation firmly believes that scientific research conducted using nuclear tools, with the support of the IAEA, helps to develop measures and policies for addressing the challenge of climate change and its effects. Isotopic techniques can be used to study certain biological processes, such as the formation of various species’ shells and skeletons, as well as the growth of phytoplankton, which is at the base of the entire marine food chain. The acidification of the oceans, which is a direct consequence both of climate change and the increase in greenhouse-gas emissions, is one of the areas in which the Agency and Monaco have done a great deal of work. In that regard, we welcomed the participation of Мr. David Osborn, Director of the Environmental Laboratories, in the dialogue between partners devoted to the topic and chaired by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II at the Ocean Conference in June. In another example of our commitment, the IAEA Environmental Laboratories and Scientific Centre of Monaco partnered to organize a series of international workshops on the socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification, the fourth of which was held in Monaco from 15 to 17 October. Some 60 experts from 23 countries attended and discussed practical and applicable solutions adapted to specific regions of the globe, such as the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. I would like to highlight the important role of the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre within the Environmental Laboratories in research, scientific cooperation and capacity-building. I would like to recall here that it was the United States that announced its establishment at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, and to acknowledge the indispensable financial support that it continues to provide for it. In 2008, Monaco and the organization behind the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) signed a partnership agreement that agreed on a financial commitment on our part of €5.5 million over 10 years, providing for an international conference to be held regularly in Monaco, as well as funding for post-doctoral fellowships giving young scientists the opportunity to pursue a two-year course in thermonuclear research. Monaco has hosted the Monaco-ITER International Fusion Energy Days conferences every three years since 2010, of which the most recent, the Monaco-ITER Business Forum, was held in February 2016, bringing together 500 participants among scientists, engineers and industrialists from more than 20 different countries. In conclusion, Monaco has complete confidence in the IAEA and is pleased to continue as a co-author of draft resolution A/72/L.6, which we will adopt at the end of the meeting.

On behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Belarus, I would like to thank Mr. Yukiya Amano for his comprehensive briefing on the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2016, congratulate him on his re-election to the important post of its Director General and wish him every success in his future work. In our view, the IAEA has managed to achieve positive results in all three of its main areas of activity — implementing safeguards, facilitating peaceful uses of nuclear technology and ensuring the safety of its use. Many States today have placed their hopes in nuclear power as a cheap and clean source of energy that can contribute to sustainable development. The work of the IAEA in helping to develop safe nuclear energy is therefore particularly important and in demand. Belarus has also chosen to use nuclear energy. We hope that in the near future a significant share of the electricity that our country needs will be produced by the Belarusian nuclear power plant, which is currently under construction and will enable us to ensure a stable flow of cheap and ecologically clean energy. Needless to say, it has long been axiomatic that nuclear security must be a priority at every stage in the life cycle of a nuclear power station, from planning to decommissioning. We emphasize the Agency’s key role in developing and making progress on international nuclear-security standards. For Belarus, which suffered hugely as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, and is now building its first nuclear power station, nuclear-security and transparency issues are crucially important. We are cooperating actively with the IAEA in every area and are grateful for its support. The report of the IAEA (see A/72/221) notes that the number of requests from member States for independent studies and consultation services has continued to increase, which we believe is evidence of the demand and practical usefulness of the Agency’s services. In the past year, Belarus has hosted two important Agency review services, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service and the Site and External Events Design Review Service, and we will continue that cooperation with the IAEA. We are pleased with the growing attention paid to the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme. We believe that recognition of the Agency’s role in helping Member States achieve their Sustainable Development Goals is one of the most important achievements of the past few years. The use of nuclear technology for progress in areas where people can really feel its benefit, whether in energy, medicine or agriculture, as well as ensuring that such technologies are accessible, is becoming a well-known aspect of the IAEA’s brand. Belarus’s technical cooperation projects with the IAEA have enabled us to increase the effectiveness of training personnel for the nuclear-energy sector and ensure nuclear and radiation security, and have contributed significantly to developing nuclear medicine. They have also helped us in solving the particular problems related to sustainable development of the lands devastated by the Chernobyl disaster. We greatly appreciate the IAEA’s contribution to international cooperation on Chernobyl. It has helped us on many fronts. Today we consider it to be one of our fundamental partners in implementing United Nations initiatives assisting the affected regions in their sustainable development efforts. We note the IAEA’s effective work in implementing nuclear-non-proliferation guarantees. Belarus wholeheartedly supports the IAEA’s safeguards system and considers its further strengthening very important. It is particularly important to maintain the IAEA’s understandable, objective, depoliticized and technically backed system of guarantees, founded on the basis of agreements concluded between the Agency and its member States. Belarus fully supports the work of the IAEA and we are pleased to be a sponsor of draft resolution A/72/L.6.

My delegation welcomes the opportunity to participate in the Assembly’s annual consideration of the report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Like other speakers before me, I want to thank the Director General for his statement and acknowledge the Agency’s invaluable work over the past year. We also wish to congratulate him on his reappointment to lead the Agency and to assure him of Jamaica’s continued support in that regard. Jamaica attaches signal importance to the work done by the IAEA. Over the past year, we have benefited from a range of technical and other kinds of assistance that have been instrumental in several key priority areas, such as education, health and research, including the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy. We continue to witness the consolidation and expansion of the relationship that we have enjoyed with the Agency since becoming a member in 1965. Jamaica is proud of the fact that we are party to five IAEA multilateral agreements and two Safeguards Agreements. In addition, and in keeping with our commitment to partnering with the Agency, Jamaica will be hosting three IAEA workshops on the security of radioactive material in transport in the last and first quarters of 2017 and 2018, respectively. Earlier this year, Jamaica also deposited its instrument of acceptance pursuant to the Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean. The work of the IAEA in the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and the application of a safeguards regime for verification, safety and security remains critical. Consequently, we continue to encourage States that have not yet done so to accede to the legally binding international conventions and commit to working towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. The adoption in July of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons represents a significant milestone in efforts to delegitimize nuclear weapons and reinforce the norms against their use. We look forward to the role that the Treaty can play in realizing those objectives. In keeping with our own commitment to using nuclear energy for scientific and peaceful purposes, the Jamaican Parliament has passed a nuclear safety and radiation protection act. In July 2015 we established a hazardous substances regulatory authority, and through those and other frameworks we continue to regulate activities, practices and facilities that involve ionizing radiation and nuclear technology. We are especially pleased that the IAEA continues to attract new members, and we would like to take this opportunity to welcome our fellow Caribbean Community partner, Grenada, whose membership has been approved by the General Conference of the IAEA. As we noted at the recently concluded Conference, small island developing States such as ours stand to benefit from the technical assistance, capacity-building and transfer of technology that the Agency offers. We look forward to working with Grenada as its newest member. My delegation would also like to recognize the member States that have contributed to the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Fund and encourage those in a position to do so to continue to support it in order to ensure that its resources are commensurate with the increase in its membership and the growing demand for its assistance. Jamaica welcomes the efforts of the IAEA to support national efforts aimed at advancing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We believe that that augurs well for greater synergy between national development priorities and IAEA assistance within the broader United Nations Development Assistance Framework. We encourage further work in that regard. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Jamaica’s strong commitment to working with the IAEA and supporting its efforts in the years to come.

My country reiterates its commitment to all international conventions in the area of disarmament, particularly those concerning weapons of mass destruction. We will continue our cooperation with the international community and the United Nations to support efforts to implement those instruments and to establish an environment conducive to achieving a world free from all weapons of mass destruction, based on our understanding of the disasters that can result from such weapons, especially nuclear weapons. In 2003, we were quick to voluntarily declare the dismantling of our nuclear-weapon programme and to accede to the additional protocols and safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in view of the serious threat that such weapons pose to international peace and security, particularly where accountability and wisdom are lacking. Like the rest of the international community, we are concerned about the use or threat of use of such weapons. Having reviewed the report of the IAEA (see A/72/221), we note the increasing awareness and realization of the international community that international peace and security cannot be achieved while some States possess certain weapons that they could use or threaten to use. Instead, the nuclear arms race should end. The best way to ensure that nuclear weapons are not used is not to produce or test them but to destroy their stocks through stringent international verification, and to encourage productive cooperation among States whereby nuclear energy is used for development and in the service of humankind. The role of the IAEA should not be limited to converting nuclear material from nuclear to peaceful uses but should include verifying nuclear-weapon States’ reduction and dismantling of their arsenals. At the same time, along with the rest of the international community, we look forward to significant progress being made in implementing the provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The Assembly’s meeting on the subject was held decades after the original Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was concluded. Concerns remain, however, given that a small number of States still maintain their nuclear arsenals and others are joining their ranks. We can therefore never achieve our goal until non-nuclear-weapon States are convinced that the existing nuclear weapons will never be used and will all be dismantled. The non-discriminatory approach to the NPT requires balanced implementation of its three pillars — nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful and transparent use of nuclear technology. My country appreciates the IAEA’s efforts to support States in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and in carrying out their development programmes under the Technical Cooperation Programme, monitored by the Agency. We call on all States Members of the United Nations to continue to support the Programme and the Agency’s other monitoring and verification programmes. Strengthening the Agency’s safeguards regime should not adversely affect technical cooperation and assistance. We are concerned about the fact that some nuclear-weapon States have a policy of restricting other States’ transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, contravening article IV of the NPT and hampering the Technical Cooperation Programme. We once again underscore the importance of implementing Security Council resolution 487 (1981), on establishing a zone in the Middle East free of nuclear weapons, as well as of the decision of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the NPT on the indefinite extension of the Treaty. That will remain valid until its objectives are achieved. Israel continues to defy the international community. It has not acceded to the NPT and refuses to subject its nuclear facilities to IAEA safeguards. That is a source of deep concern that is having a negative impact on international and regional peace and security. We call on the international community and the depositary States to compel Israel to accede to the Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon State.

Malaysia takes this opportunity to thank Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for his presentation of the annual report of the Agency (see A/72/221), which covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2016. We commend the Director General for his commitment and stewardship of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Malaysia welcomes the 2016 IAEA report, which provides a comprehensive summary of the activities undertaken by the Agency in consultation with Member States in the areas of nuclear technology, nuclear safety and security and nuclear verification and technical cooperation. We recognize the central role played by the IAEA in coordinating international cooperation and its increasingly important contributions in the nuclear field towards achieving the primary goal of atoms for peace and development. In that regard, my delegation would like to highlight the following areas of Malaysia’s priorities and achievements this year. We recognize that IAEA safeguards serve as a fundamental pillar of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We also recognize the Agency’s indispensable role in the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We note the important role that it has played in monitoring and verification activities and recognize it as the sole competent technical authority for the independent verification of the nuclear safeguard obligations of Member States. Malaysia welcomes the adoption of the 2018- 2021 IAEA Nuclear Security Plan. Malaysia-IAEA collaboration has been fruitful, with several joint activities in the nuclear security field, namely, the Malaysia-Thailand table-top and field exercise on combating the illicit trafficking of radioactive materials, the development of borehole disposal and the mobile hot cell facility. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with the IAEA through the further participation of Malaysian experts in IAEA activities and programmes. We greatly appreciate the Agency’s support aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s national detection capabilities in combating nuclear terrorism at the recent 2017 Southeast Asian Games, held in Kuala Lumpur. The benefits of nuclear security justify our funding of those activities through both the regular budget and the Nuclear Security Fund. My delegation attaches great importance to strengthening all aspects of nuclear safety. Malaysia enjoys ongoing cooperation with the IAEA in radiation protection and safety, research reactor safety, radiological-emergency environmental monitoring and the safety of spent fuel management and radioactive waste management. We will continue to work closely with the Agency and other IAEA member States to improve and strengthen the relevant aspects of nuclear safety, according to the safety priorities identified in the Director General’s report on the 2018 Nuclear Safety Review. The successful hosting of the first international conference of the Technical Cooperation Programme in Vienna reaffirms the important role of the Agency in bringing Member States closer to achieving their developmental goals and priorities. Malaysia recognizes the important roles played by nuclear science, technology and applications, and by nuclear-power and non-nuclear-power applications in efforts to realize the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In line with our collective and shared responsibilities towards the achievement of the SDGs, Malaysia and Botswana partnered with the Agency to host a side event on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology for development in efforts to support the implementation of SDG Goal 1 on ending poverty, Goal 2 on food security, Goal 3 on human health and Goal 9 on infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. That took place on the margins of the United Nations high-level political forum on sustainable development, held from 10 to 19 July in New York. We believe that the 2018 ministerial-level conference on nuclear applications and the recent 2017 International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the Twenty-First Century in Abu Dhabi can make invaluable contributions to the achievement of the SDGs. In line with Malaysia’s eleventh five-year plan, “Anchoring growth on people”, we successfully hosted a seminar with the Agency at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency from 24 to 26 July to promote greater awareness of the contributions of nuclear science and technology to socioeconomic development. Malaysia regards the Peaceful Uses Initiative as a very important vehicle for supporting the Agency’s activities related to the peaceful applications of science and technology. We are pleased to be one of the contributors to the Initiative, given its important role in raising extrabudgetary resources to support many activities related to peaceful purposes. Research and development play critical roles in realizing the long-term goals of nuclear science and technology for the collective benefit of member States and the Agency. Malaysia fully recognizes the contribution of the renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories to scientific and research activities. We appreciate the Agency’s recognition of our expertise in the research and development field. We are honoured to be the IAEA Collaborating Centre in the field of non-destructive testing for the term from 2015 to 2019 and in the area of radiation processing of natural polymer and nanomaterials for a third term from 2016 to 2020. We look forward to receiving similar recognition for the Gamma Green House. As the IAEA Collaborating Centre, Malaysia is committed to sharing its experience and expertise in those fields with other countries through training and fellowship programmes. Notwithstanding our firm principle of striking a balance between promotional and non-promotional activities, Malaysia believes that all programmes and activities of the Agency have equal merit. Malaysia continues to honour its contributions to both the IAEA regular budget and the Technical Cooperation Fund in full and on time. We encourage all Member States to do likewise so as to enable the Agency to fulfil its responsibility in accordance with its statutory mandate. In conclusion, my delegation wishes to reaffirm Malaysia’s commitment to continuing its long-standing cooperation in the work of the Agency as it fulfils its mandate. In that regard, Malaysia is pleased to sponsor the draft resolution (A/72/L.6) on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency at the seventy- second session of the General Assembly.

I would like to begin by thanking the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for his report (see A/72/221). The Islamic Republic of Iran underscores the importance of ensuring that all States can fully realize their inalienable right to develop, research, produce and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. That includes the inherent right of every State to participate to the greatest extent possible in the exchange of equipment, material and scientific and technological information relating to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. As article II of the Statute of the IAEA states, “The Agency shall seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world.” In that context, Iran emphasizes the Agency’s primary responsibility for assisting Member States in research on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and its practical applications. Iran appreciates the related activities of the Agency and stresses the need for further enhancing them with a view, in particular, to meeting the expectations of developing countries. We should ensure that the Technical Cooperation Programme of the Agency remains fair and sustainable through sufficient, assured and predictable financial and human resources. Iran emphasizes that the IAEA, as an independent intergovernmental, science- and technology-based organization, is the sole global competent authority responsible for verifying a State’s compliance with its NPT safeguards agreement obligations. With regard to the role and functions of the IAEA in implementing the safeguards agreements, Iran would like to stress that all such activities should be carried out in full conformity with the relevant legally binding instruments and should take into account the concerns and interests of Member States, especially with strict observance of the principle of confidentiality. Taking into account the growing use of nuclear energy and its role in the socioeconomic development of societies, Iran is determined to exercise its inalienable right to conduct research into the production and use of nuclear energy, including the development of the full national nuclear fuel cycle for peaceful purposes. Iran’s compliance with all its obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement and the fulfilment of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have been confirmed in numerous reports by the IAEA as the sole relevant competent international authority. Any claim, therefore, that Iran is not complying with its JCPOA commitments has no legitimacy or credibility. As a valid international instrument, the JCPOA can neither be renegotiated nor unilaterally annulled. Likewise, any unilateral claim seeking to extend the duration of Iran’s voluntary confidence-building measures runs counter to the JCPOA and, more importantly, clearly runs counter to the inalienable rights of States under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Iran has been and will remain committed to the JCPOA, to the extent that all other JCPOA participants also fulfil all their commitments fully and in a timely manner. JCPOA participants are therefore urged to genuinely carry out all their commitments and to refrain from any action that is inconsistent with its provisions. Indeed, that is in the interests of the international community and all JCPOA participants. The current support for the full implementation of the JCPOA by all its participants should therefore continue.

As a founding member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Republic of Korea attaches great importance to the work of the IAEA and remains a firm supporter of the Agency’s unique role in making nuclear science and technology available for the benefit of people everywhere. I would like to express my appreciation to Director General Yukiya Amano for his leadership at a time when the IAEA’s mandate for promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, enhancing nuclear safety and security and strengthening nuclear verification and non-proliferation efforts throughout the world is as relevant as ever to the issues on the international agenda. Nuclear verification is a central pillar of the Agency’s work and plays an indispensable role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. The Republic of Korea considers the evolution of safeguards implementation to be an essential means of strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the Agency’s verification regime. In that regard, we note with satisfaction that in 2016 the Agency continued to enhance safeguards by updating and developing State-level safeguards approaches in consultation with the relevant authorities. With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, the Republic of Korea welcomes the Agency’s continued verification and monitoring of Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Given the significance of the additional protocol in allowing the IAEA to draw the broader conclusion that all nuclear material in a State is for peaceful activities, we hope that Iran will continue to provisionally apply its Additional Protocol pending its ratification. On 3 September, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test on the heels of two previous tests last year and many ballistic-missile launches, including two intercontinental range missiles, in clear violation of Security Council resolutions. The Government of the Republic of Korea strongly condemns North Korea’s reckless and irresponsible nuclear test. Far from revealing any signs that North Korea is abandoning its nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes, the Director General’s report (see A/72/221) indicates troubling nuclear activities at the Yongbyon site and the Pyongsan Mine and Concentration Plant. North Korea’s continuous negative response to the international community’s diplomatic efforts underlines the importance of reiterating a strong and unified message that the path to peace, stability and prosperity hinges on its willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue and honour its denuclearization commitments. In that regard, the Republic of Korea welcomes and fully supports the Security Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2375 (2017) on 11 September. It is essential that all States Members of the United Nations make clear to North Korea that it will face serious consequences unless it changes its strategic calculus by faithfully implementing all relevant Security Council resolutions. The unanimous adoption of a stronger resolution on the subject at this year’s IAEA General Conference is likewise a welcome development that underlines the international community’s common desire for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the situation. We once again urge North Korea to take its first steps on the path of denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. To that end, we call on North Korea to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and to refrain from any further provocative and destabilizing acts. In the meantime, the Republic of Korea appreciates the IAEA’s recent efforts to enhance its readiness to verify North Korea’s nuclear programme, including the establishment of the North Korea inspection team. Until the Agency is able to resume monitoring and verification there, the Republic of Korea will work with its partners to maintain vigilance and to coordinate the international community’s constructive response to the North Korean nuclear issue with a view to its peaceful resolution. One of the priorities of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session is maintaining momentum in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In that regard, the Republic of Korea notes with satisfaction that during the past year the IAEA continued to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by contributing to sustainable development. Through its Technical Cooperation Programme, the Agency continued to develop and transfer nuclear technologies to Member States, helping them build their human capacity for sustainable development and use nuclear and isotopic techniques to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to food and agriculture, human health, water resources, the environment, radioisotope production and radiation technology. As a contributor to the Technical Cooperation Fund, the Republic of Korea stresses the need for funding its programmes adequately in order to maximize their contribution to the achievement of the SDGs and their targets. We believe that full and timely payment of pledges to the Fund remains a basic responsibility for all IAEA member States, and we look forward to seeing the secretariat make further progress in improving the quality of the Technical Cooperation Programme and raising its visibility by securing partnerships and cooperation with the United Nations system and other international organizations. Given the essential role of nuclear safety in the utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, my delegation welcomes the IAEA’s ongoing efforts to identify priorities for strengthening nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety, and for emergency preparedness and response. In that regard, we note that the IAEA is continuing its analysis of lessons arising from the Fukushima Daiichi accident and that those lessons have been incorporated into a number of safety requirements published last year. We also encourage all Member States to take advantage of the Agency’s peer reviews and advisory services, especially those Member States embarking on a new nuclear-power programme or expanding an existing one, as they have proved invaluable in establishing and strengthening national safety infrastructure. The risk that nuclear or other radioactive material could be used in criminal or intentional unauthorized acts concerns not just individual Member States but the entire international community. While responsibility for nuclear security rests entirely within a State, therefore, it can be greatly enhanced through collective commitments supported by national actions and international cooperation. For the Republic of Korea, the highlight of this year’s activities in the field of nuclear security was the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions, held in Vienna in December 2016. It was a valuable exercise for sharing experiences, discussing lessons learned, identifying emerging trends and considering the medium- and long-term objectives relating to nuclear security globally. Participants also expressed broad support for the central role of the IAEA in nuclear security. Korea will work with other member States to reinforce the IAEA’s central role with tangible support. The entry into force of the amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material in May 2016 was a milestone in efforts to strengthen nuclear security. The Republic of Korea contributed actively to the second meeting of the representatives of the States parties to the Convention and its amendment last December. We welcome the focus of the IAEA secretariat on promoting universal adherence to the amendment, and we encourage all States parties to establish, implement and maintain an appropriate nuclear-security regime for the physical protection of nuclear facilities and nuclear material in peaceful use. The peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology have made significant contributions to human welfare, our planet and our shared prosperity since the IAEA’s founding in 1957. That the IAEA continues to serve the international community well is reflected in the continued growth both in its membership and in demands for its services in all areas of nuclear sciences and applications. The Republic of Korea will continue its steadfast support for the IAEA and its mandate, and is pleased to join the other sponsors of draft resolution A/72/L.6, on the report of the IAEA.

On behalf of my delegation, I thank Director General Yukiya Amano for the comprehensive annual report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency. We would also like to reiterate our congratulations to Director General Amano on his re-election for a third term. He can count on Singapore’s full support and cooperation. Singapore is pleased to once again be a sponsor of draft resolution A/72/L.6, on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and would like to express its appreciation to the Permanent Mission of Indonesia for its excellent work in facilitating the draft resolution. I would now like to make a few brief points on the work of the IAEA. First, Singapore and the IAEA have developed a strong partnership over the years. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of our membership in the IAEA. which we joined back in 1967, shortly after gaining our independence. At the time, Singapore received valuable technical assistance from the IAEA in areas such as cancer treatment and radiation dosimetry with the aim of improving its capabilities in critical areas such as public health and radiation protection. Having benefited from the IAEA’s development assistance, Singapore is now giving back by working with the Agency to provide technical assistance to support fellow developing countries in achieving their Sustainable Development Goals. We formalized our long-standing partnership with the IAEA through the enhanced Singapore-IAEA third-country training programme memorandum of understanding signed during Director General Amano’s visit to Singapore in January 2015. Since then, we have hosted many courses, scientific visits and training fellowships and will continue to do more. Singapore is also currently serving on the IAEA Board of Governors for the term 2016 to 2018, and looks forward to continuing its contributions to the work of the Agency. Secondly, we welcome the IAEA’s partnerships at the regional level. All 10 States members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have concluded safeguards agreements with the IAEA, in line with the provisions of the Treaty on the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. We also support technical cooperation between the IAEA and the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy, which is working closely with the IAEA on a regional technical cooperation project to support the establishment of a regional environmental radioactivity database and an emergency preparedness and response framework. Singapore will continue to contribute to capacity-building activities in the region in areas such as nuclear safety and emergency preparedness and response by hosting and participating in regional training events. Thirdly, Singapore supports the IAEA’s central role in ensuring a strong and sustainable global nuclear safety and security framework. In that regard, two important meetings have been held since the last debate  — the International Conference on Nuclear Security and the seventh Review Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety. We were encouraged by the positive developments at both meetings. The ministerial Declaration on Nuclear Safety adopted by consensus at the International Conference on Nuclear Security reflects the collective commitment of member States to strengthening nuclear security in a comprehensive manner. At the Review Meeting, we saw a number of the Convention’s contracting parties apply the principles of the 2015 Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety to their national requirements. Finally, nuclear installations are not immune to cyberattacks. Such risks are not imaginary and must be addressed. A comprehensive and sustainable national nuclear-security architecture must include the element of cyberresilience. To that end, Singapore supports the IAEA’s work in developing additional nuclear-security guidance on computer and information security for nuclear installations and related training programmes. Singapore has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with the IAEA for the past 50 years. We look forward to deepening our cooperation and engagement with the Agency. My delegation is confident that our mutual efforts to explore new areas of cooperation will ensure that this relationship continues to flourish for years to come.

On behalf of my delegation, I would like to thank Director General Yukiya Amano for his report. The report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an important element in our understanding of the essential tasks that the Agency performs in in promoting and ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy. India is a sponsor of draft resolution A/72/L.6, on the report of the activities of the IAEA. Today’s debate is an important occasion for reflecting on the critical role that the IAEA has played in discharging its mandate to support countries in the safe and secure pursuit of nuclear power and in its technical cooperation activities, bringing nuclear applications to its Member States. India regards nuclear power as an important energy option needed to meet the challenges of increased demand, deal with concerns over climate change and volatile fossil-fuel prices, and ensure the security of energy supply. We note that 10 new reactors were connected to the grid in 2016 and that the global generating capacity of nuclear energy reached 392 gigawatts electric at the end of 2016. We take note of the Agency’s efforts in promoting the role of nuclear technology to meet the climate-energy challenge. We encourage the Agency to remain engaged in activities that present a balanced picture of nuclear power and its mitigation potential against greenhouse-gas emissions. We appreciate the Agency’s role in providing integrated support to Member States that are considering, planning or starting a nuclear-power programme. In that context, the recent International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the Twenty-first Century in Abu Dhabi reiterated the important contribution of nuclear power to efforts to meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. India attaches great importance to the Agency’s work in various fields of nuclear science. We contribute to those activities through participation in the technical meetings and coordinated research projects. The Agency’s programmes and work in the area of nuclear applications in food and agriculture, human health and nutrition, water resources management, the protection of the environment, and industry have been most helpful to developing countries in meeting their needs. We will continue to provide our support to such Agency programmes through the provision of expert services and by offering training slots in reputed institutions to experts from Member States. We support the central role of the IAEA in the area of nuclear security. India was one of the first to ratify the amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and was pleased to see the entry into force of the amendment last year. We encourage all those Member States that have not yet joined or ratified the Convention and its 2005 amendment to do so as soon as possible. We are also pleased to note that the Agency is organizing the International Conference on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities next week in Vienna. We take note of the successful organization by the Agency in December 2016 in Vienna of the International Conference on Nuclear Security, attended by some 2,100 participants, including 47 ministerial-level representatives from 139 United Nations Member States. The Agency should build on the findings of the Conference in close consultation with Member States. We note with satisfaction the financial pledges made by Member States of €47.4 million in 2016 towards the Agency’s Nuclear Security Fund, and we urge more Member States to participate in the Fund. India remains committed to supporting the work of the IAEA.

The Chinese delegation welcomes the report (see A/72/221) presented by Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on the work of the Agency. Over the past year, the IAEA has effectively fulfilled its obligations under the Statute and made positive progress in promoting the use of nuclear energy and nuclear technology, strengthening nuclear safety and nuclear security, and maintaining nuclear non-proliferation. China appreciates the hard work done by the Agency. At present, the momentum behind global nuclear energy continues to grow. Against the backdrop of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, nuclear energy is expected to play an increasingly important role in ensuring energy supplies, mitigating climate change and achieving sustainable development. The use of nuclear technology in promoting economic development and serving human health is increasingly widespread. However, the international nuclear-non-proliferation situation is grave. Nuclear safety still needs to be strengthened, and nuclear security risks keep on rising. Global nuclear governance still has a long, arduous road ahead. China hopes that the Agency will focus on the following aspects in its future work. First, we hope the Agency will enhance the universality, effectiveness and fairness of its safeguards system. The international nuclear-non-proliferation regime faces daunting challenges, as some States still have not acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. There continues to be a deadlock with regard to the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The Agency should continue to enhance the universality and effectiveness of its safeguards system with a view to ensuring impartiality and objectiveness and conducting full consultations with Member States. We hope that the IAEA secretariat will continue its dialogue and communication with Member States on the implementation of safeguards at the State level. Secondly, we hope that the Agency will promote the application of nuclear energy and nuclear technology, and increase the amount of assistance provided to developing countries. China encourages the Agency to advance and coordinate nuclear technical exchanges and cooperation by increasing the investment of its resources in such activities and taking full account of the demand of developing countries, in order to help Member States achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and share the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Thirdly, we hope that the Agency will play a core role in strengthening global nuclear safety and nuclear security. China supports Agency efforts to promote the implementation of its nuclear safety standards and security guidelines, strengthen its peer review services, and facilitate the capacity-building of Member States, so as to increase the international nuclear-safety and nuclear-security levels. The Agency should continue to follow and assess the follow-up handling of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, and make timely reports to Member States. Fourthly, we hope that the Agency will be impartial and objective and continue to help address regional hot-spot nuclear issues. China appreciates the efforts made by the Agency to facilitate the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and supports its monitoring and verification mandate. China also supports the Agency in its proper role of monitoring the nuclear activities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in accordance with its mandate. In its nuclear energy development, China has always adhered to a sensible, coordinated and balanced approach to nuclear security, as developed by President Xi Jinping. Currently, we are fully implementing the practical initiatives put forward by President Xi at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. China recently promulgated a nuclear-safety law, which will provide strong support for the safe and sustainable development of nuclear energy in China. A transit agreement for the transport of low-enriched uranium in support of the Low Enriched Uranium Bank was signed between China and the IAEA last April, which will contribute to the Uranium Bank’s successful operation. Moreover, China has cooperated closely with the Agency, Ghana, the United States and several other countries. In Africa, China successfully completed the Ghana Miniature Neutron Source Reactor Low- Enriched Uranium Conversion Project last August. China will continue to assist in Nigeria and other places in the conversion of miniature neutron source research reactors, based on the Ghana model. By making full use of the Centre of Excellence on Nuclear Security and the Custom Training Centre for Radiation Detection, China is ready to work with all parties on more exchange and training programmes in order to provide more public good for the rest of the world.

At the outset, I would like to express the appreciation of the United Arab Emirates for the collaborative work carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). I would also like to express our appreciation for the commendable leadership of the Director General of the IAEA, Mr. Yukiya Amano, and to congratulate him on his reappointment. We would like to stress the importance of draft resolution A/72/L.6, entitled “Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency”, of which my country is a sponsor. Since joining the IAEA, the United Arab Emirates has recognized the pivotal role undertaken by the Agency in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology for the development of national nuclear- energy programmes and other peaceful applications of nuclear technology. The Agency continues to play its key role in supporting the exchange of scientific knowledge and nuclear expertise among its members. In that regard, the United Arab Emirates reaffirms its position regarding the importance of working closely in accordance with the standards of the IAEA in the area of nuclear safety and of complying with the IAEA standards on nuclear security and non-proliferation. The United Arab Emirates also commends the central role played by the Agency in the transfer of technology and knowledge with the aim of supporting the development needs of Member States. The IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promotes cooperation through the exchange of best practices and strategic partnerships and provides valuable services in the areas of development, infrastructure and human resources for a safe and successful nuclear programme. In conclusion, the United Arab Emirates looks forward to continuing cooperation with the Agency and the international community in order to ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy and guarantee the responsible and safe nature of nuclear activities. The Emirates also expresses its appreciation to the Director General and the IAEA secretariat for their hard work and the achievements of the Agency, as indicated in its annual report (see A/72/221) for 2016.

The Russian delegation thanks the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Yukiya Amano, for presenting the report (see A/72/221) on the work of the organization he heads. Russia takes a positive view of the activities of the IAEA. We hope that the Agency will continue to increase its efforts to develop nuclear energy and technologies all over the world and to broaden international cooperation in those areas while improving and strengthening the global non-proliferation regime. The uniqueness of the IAEA verification mechanism enables its highly effective monitoring of States’ fulfilment of their non-proliferation commitments in the context of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. One of the central achievements in that direction is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the situation relating to the Iranian nuclear programme. To date, Iran is the country verified most by the IAEA. The Agency quickly established a very strict verification mechanism and is dealing effectively with its challenges, enabling it to monitor all aspects of the implementation of the JCPOA and the application of safeguards in Iran. For our part, we provide various forms of support to the Agency with regard to Iran, including organizing targeted training courses for inspectors on uranium enrichment and the production of stable isotopes. The Director General has regularly mentioned in his reports that Tehran is fulfilling the obligations it assumed under the JCPOA, in addition to the implementation of the Additional Protocol to Iran’s Safeguards Agreement. The Russian delegation is in favour of improving the Agency’s monitoring capabilities, including by adopting the additional protocol on IAEA safeguards as a universally recognized standard for verification in the field of non-proliferation. Whatever reforms of the safeguards are undertaken, the mechanism of their application should remain objective, depoliticized, technically precise and understandable to the Agency’s member States, as well as being based on the rights and obligations of the parties in accordance with safeguards agreements. An unbiased, objective approach to nuclear verification is a key element in maintaining the legitimacy of the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards System and of the regime of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in general. Russia actively participates in IAEA activities as a financial donor, including by making voluntary contributions to the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles, the Technical Cooperation Fund and the Nuclear Security Fund. We wholeheartedly support the Agency’s efforts in the field of technical cooperation and related assistance to developing countries and, for our part, we actively promote the development of nuclear energy in other countries. In 2015 and 2016, we signed agreements on peaceful nuclear cooperation with Bolivia, Ghana, Zambia, Jordan, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. In that regard, we would also like to draw attention to the fact that the International Uranium Enrichment Center is functioning on Russian Federation territory, and all States that are developing nuclear energy and complying with their commitments on non-proliferation are invited to participate in its activities. The Russian Federation supports the work of the Agency and emphasizes its leading role in establishing cooperation between States and in exchanging experience in the field of physical nuclear security. At the same time, we firmly believe that the responsibility for ensuring the efficiency and reliability of national systems in that field is borne by States themselves, defining the optimal parameters at their discretion. We would also like to emphasize that artificially introducing the disarmament agenda into issues of physical nuclear security is inadmissible. The key to success for the international community on that sensitive issue is the broadest possible representation of States in international legal mechanisms on physical nuclear security — the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment, as well as the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Russia has signed and ratified those major international instruments, and we call on States that have not yet done so to expedite their internal procedures in order to accede to them. The Russian delegation supports draft resolution A/72/L.6, entitled “Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency”, and is among its sponsors, given the importance of the Agency’s work in the interests of a reliable energy supply and strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

Brazil welcomes draft resolution A/72/L.6, entitled “Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency”, to be adopted by the General Assembly. As we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this year, Brazil takes pride in being one of its founding member States. Brazil has a deep-rooted commitment to the use of nuclear energy exclusively for peaceful purposes, as enshrined in our Constitution, our legislative practice and the legally binding international agreements to which we have subscribed. We congratulate Mr. Yukiya Amano on his appointment for a third term as IAEA Director General and recognize the Agency’s important achievements during his tenure in office so far. In particular, we commend Mr. Amano on his important role in the verification activities in Iran pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The impartial and objective manner in which the IAEA has conducted its duties in Iran, in accordance with the modalities set out by the JCPOA and standard safeguards practices, makes a meaningful contribution to international peace and stability. Brazil recognizes the relevant efforts of the IAEA in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The Agency has been uniquely positioned to encourage and assist in the development and transfer of nuclear technology worldwide. In the light of the growing demand from Member States for services that help to improve the global standard of living, we emphasize the need to further strengthen the Agency’s departments of technical cooperation and nuclear sciences and applications. Brazil fully supports the implementation of safeguards by the IAEA and the efforts undertaken by the Secretariat to enhance further cost-efficient measures. We deem it important that States fulfil their obligations and that the Agency operate within the established framework, taking into account the different scope and safeguards measures deriving from the distinct categories of agreements entered into by member States. Brazil appreciates the effective cooperation between the IAEA and the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials, a unique and constructive partnership among multilateral and bilateral verification bodies. Brazil is of the view that the IAEA can play an important role in nuclear-disarmament verification, given its indisputable technical capabilities, impartiality and professionalism and, last but not least, its statutory mandate. This year, the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was a robust expression of the commitment of the vast majority of the international community to nuclear disarmament. We hope that the IAEA and its member States live up to these expectations. We regret the Director General’s decision not to send a representative of the Agency to the Treaty’s negotiating conference, despite its President’s request, because participating States could have benefited from the Agency’s technical expertise. It is our hope that the IAEA will stand ready to cooperate with States within the framework of the Treaty and discharge its verification measures if requested to do so.

I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for presenting his report (see A/72/221) to the General Assembly. Sixty years ago, against the backdrop of the Cold War, the international community was able to commit to advocating for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, while for the time being disregarding the priority that some countries attributed to deterrence, through the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency. When the “atoms for peace” speech was delivered in this very Hall (see A/PV.470) by the then-President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower, the possibilities of the peaceful use of nuclear energy were viewed with a mixture of hope and scepticism, in clear contrast to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from the use of atomic weapons in any form. That time has passed, and beyond analysing the intentions motivating that speech, we can still hope that, if properly used and with the necessary safeguards in place, nuclear energy can effectively provide us with a means to achieving greater progress and well-being and thereby benefiting all humankind. Ecuador is pleased to have taken part in the establishment of the IAEA, and we can testify to nuclear technology’s important contribution to developing critical important sectors, such as health care, the food industry, agriculture and industry. We hope to see the Agency become a fundamental actor in helping States achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Ecuador underscores the essential role played by the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, and acknowledges the IAEA’s efforts and measures aimed at providing a more effective programme that addresses member States’ priorities and is the result of a continuous process of consultations. Maintaining this approach is essential to promoting national efforts in the area of ​economic and social development, as well as to contributing meaningfully to achieving compliance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I would like to reiterate Ecuador’s gratitude for the invaluable support given by the IAEA following the tragedy caused by the earthquake of 16 April 2016 in my country’s intracoastal waters, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and tragically left 660 persons dead, 4,600 injured and 34,000 homeless; deprived 120,000 children of school; and affected approximately 700 buildings, including 16 hospitals. The sensitivity and efficiency of Director General Amano and the Division for Latin America and the Caribbean of the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme enabled the IAEA to give timely and substantial manner assistance by providing portable X-ray equipment, electric generators, teams dedicated to the early detection of the Zika virus, and personal radiation detectors — all of which was enormously useful in meeting the needs resulting from the emergency situation on the heels of the devastating earthquake. Ecuador particularly appreciated the visit by the Director General to Ecuador in June last year, when he was able to see for himself the area affected by the earthquake. The visit was an opportunity to explore additional assistance possibilities. Within the framework of the Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean, Ecuador will have participated in 28 regional projects for the period from 2014 to 2018, and will participate in 15 regional projects for the period from 2018 to 2019. On 29 November 2016, Ecuador signed its Country Programme Framework for the period from 2016 to 2021 with the IAEA. This document is the frame of reference for planning technical cooperation with the Agency, identifies priority areas relating to development mutually agreed on by Ecuador and the Agency, and establishes to what extent nuclear technologies can be used in addressing national priorities, taking the Sustainable Development Goals into account. The Country Programme Framework identifies health care, agriculture, the environment, industry, energy and radiological safety as priority sectors. I am also pleased to be able to inform the Assembly that on 29 September, Ecuador deposited its instrument of ratification of the 2005 amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. As a country that champions peace and universal disarmament and condemns the development and use of weapons of mass destruction, Ecuador is concerned about the re-emergence of military and deterrence policies based on nuclear weapons as a presumed way of maintaining the security of a few States, while at the same time putting at risk the security of all humankind. We therefore reiterate that the only effective guarantee against the use or threat of the use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. We maintain our firm position in favour of the full implementation of the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), without prejudice or double standards, and we reiterate our concern that, while the Treaty’s goals with respect to non-proliferation and the exercise of the inalienable right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy have been implemented, we have not seen further progress in achieving the goals of nuclear disarmament. With few and regrettable exceptions, the vast majority of States, including Ecuador, have reiterated their deep concern about the huge humanitarian consequences and global effects of any accidental or intentional nuclear detonation. A few of the States that claim to depend on nuclear weapons for their security — although we recognize that the continued existence of those weapons is what creates insecurity — have tried to minimize and even deny those serious consequences using skewed arguments. Ecuador will continue to reiterate that any use of nuclear weapons constitutes a crime against humanity. We repeat that the only way to guarantee avoiding the use of nuclear weapons is their prohibition and total elimination. For that reason, Ecuador welcomed the adoption in July of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which a few hours ago Pope Francis cited as an example of healthy realism igniting the light of hope in our chaotic world. Ecuador is also proud to have signed the Treaty on the day it opened for signature. The Treaty is the instrument necessary for bridging the legal gap that existed in international law and is therefore one step further towards full compliance with article VI of the NPT. That has been mentioned many times, and yet is largely neglected, particularly by those who have the primary obligation to implement it. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons establishes the legal basis for the elimination of those weapons. A few have claimed that the new instrument will weaken the regime created by the NPT. On the contrary, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adequately and effectively supplements the NPT, which is recognized in the text of the Prohibition Treaty as the cornerstone of the nuclear-disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Those that can and do truly weaken the existing regime are the States that now wish to disregard the commitments made at the 1995, 2000 and 2010 NPT Review Conferences and the importance of article VI of the NPT. In that regard, Ecuador has firmly and unequivocally condemned the most recent nuclear tests, and reiterates its call for the universalization of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We also call on States that have not yet done so, especially the Annex 2 States, to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. From this rostrum, we also invite all States, beginning with nuclear-weapon States, to adhere to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as a concrete demonstration of their commitment to nuclear disarmament and the elimination of those weapons. In conclusion, I should not fail to mention the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the role that the IAEA plays in verifying its implementation. The JCPOA was an excellent example of the fact that diplomacy and dialogue are the only way forward for resolving differences. We therefore encourage all of its parties to continue implementing its provisions. By endorsing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action through its resolution 2231 (2015), the Security Council determined the technical role of verification to be the responsibility of the IAEA. Ecuador therefore once again welcomes the most recent report of the Director General of the IAEA, presented to the Board of Governors and to the Assembly this morning, which confirmed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s continued compliance with the Plan of Action. At the same time, we express our concern and rejection of attempts to politicize the work of the Agency in this or any other matter. We must all respect and enforce the technical role of the IAEA.

I would like to begin by thanking Director General Yukiya Amano for presenting the annual report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Japan would also like to warmly welcome Grenada as a new member of the IAEA. The Government of Japan congratulates Director General Amano on his reappointment. We commend his work in addressing various areas, such as the promotion of the Atoms for Peace and Development initiative aimed at widening and deepening the benefits of the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Japan also supports his efforts in enhancing the Agency’s ability to monitor North Korea’s nuclear programme and in monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). We will continue to extend our full cooperation to him and the Agency. Japan fully supports the activities of the IAEA that help the international community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2011, Japan has contributed more than $28 million through the IAEA’s Peaceful Uses Initiative. We are committed to continuously supporting IAEA’s activities on the peaceful use of nuclear technology, and we will seek ways to further utilize our expertise and technical knowledge for the sustainable development of the IAEA member States. I would like to express my sincere congratulations on the success of the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the Twenty-First Century, held in Abu Dhabi this month. Japan is determined to work with other countries on the various challenges related to the use of nuclear energy that need to be tackled. In order to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, it is essential that we strengthen existing safeguards and ensure nuclear safety and security. Japan therefore advocates for the universalization of the Additional Protocol with a view to strengthening these safeguards. Japan will continue to work with the IAEA to promote the universalization and efficient implementation of relevant conventions and the development of human resources. Over the past six years, Japan has been actively working to enhance nuclear safety, drawing on the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, including by fundamentally reforming the regulatory structures in Japan. Japan will continue to share its experiences derived from the accident with the international community and contribute to enhancing nuclear safety worldwide, including by assisting in the development of infrastructure and human resources in countries that are building new nuclear-power plants. Japan upholds the IAEA’s central role in nuclear security. This year, Japan hosted the plenary meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. We will also strengthen measures to counter nuclear terrorism at major public events with the IAEA’s support, in view of the fact that the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for example, will be held in Tokyo. North Korea’s nuclear-weapon and ballistic-missile programmes represent an unprecedented, grave and imminent threat to international security and a direct challenge to the nuclear-non-proliferation regime. Japan condemns in the strongest possible terms the repeated nuclear-weapon tests and ballistic-missile launches conducted by North Korea in flagrant violation and disregard of the relevant Security Council resolutions and other commitments. The international community should never succumb to a nuclear threat from North Korea or accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, and should renew its determination to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula as a basic part of peace and security in North-East Asia. In that regard, we support the IAEA’s efforts to prepare to resume inspections in North Korea, and strongly urge the country to abandon all nuclear-weapon and ballistic-missile programmes and take concrete steps to achieve the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. In order to make North Korea change paths, the international community must be united in its efforts to fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions so as to maximize pressure on North Korea. Japan supports the JCPOA, which contributes to regional stability and strengthens the international non-proliferation regime. Japan commends the IAEA’s essential role in the monitoring and verification of the JCPOA and welcomes its parties’ steady implementation of nuclear-related commitments. As an original member State of the IAEA and a leading country in the area of nuclear energy, Japan reiterates its commitment to further promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and strengthening nuclear non-proliferation.

While Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier today under this agenda item by the observer of the European Union, I would like to make some additional remarks in my national capacity. The delegation of Ukraine supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) annual report for 2016 (see A/72/221) and its relevant annexes, as well as draft resolution A/72/L.6, to be adopted today, of which we are pleased to be a sponsor. We are also pleased to emphasize that the IAEA report presents a comprehensive and well-balanced analysis of major achievements of the Agency’s work during 2016, as well as the main priorities in promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes set forth by the Agency’s member States. Ukraine commends the Secretariat’s professional work in preparing the latest IAEA annual report, which is based on the norms of international law, the IAEA Statute and individual States’ comprehensive safeguards agreements. In that regard, the delegation of Ukraine wishes to reiterate that the legal framework for the Agency’s safeguards application in Ukraine, including on Ukraine’s territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, is based on Ukraine’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and its Additional Protocol, and is in compliance with resolutions 68/262, entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”; 70/10, on the 2014 report of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and 71/158, on the 2015 report of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Ukraine believes that the IAEA annual report for 2016, prepared by the Agency and approved by the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna in June, reaffirms the vitally important role played by the Agency in meeting today’s combined challenges under the terms of its Statute and relevant General Assembly resolutions. In conclusion, Ukraine wishes to thank the IAEA for its report and reiterates its strong continued support for the activities of the Agency in all areas of its mandate.

Cuba recognizes the significant contribution of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to peace and sustainable development, including in combating the effects of climate change, food insecurity and disease. We reiterate that the Agency should make it a priority to allocate efforts and resources depending on the use and dissemination of nuclear applications to improve living conditions, promote sustainable development and environmental protection. We are pleased that the IAEA has maintained a proper balance among the three pillars in its work. We congratulate Grenada, another fraternal country of the Caribbean, on becoming a member of the Agency. The IAEA and its Technical Cooperation Programme have an important role to play in achieving two far-reaching global agreements, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme is the world’s principal means for promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy, as confirmed by the excellent results of the first international conference on the Technical Cooperation Programme, which took place in May. We support the holding of such conferences on a regular basis. Cuba attaches great importance to technical cooperation within the framework of the Agency. We emphasize the excellent state of relations between the Agency and our country, evidenced by the Director General’s successful visit to our country in November 2016 in the context of the programmes celebrating the IAEA’s sixtieth anniversary. Cuba recognizes the significant contribution of the application of nuclear technologies in key areas of the economy and society, such as human health, with special attention to the programmes for cancer control, food security, agriculture and environmental protection. In that context, we reaffirm our opposition to measures aimed at prohibiting or limiting the legitimate right of States to access and use nuclear energy and associated technologies and knowledge for peaceful purposes. We strongly reject and demand the immediate removal of any type of limitations and restrictions on exports to developing countries of materials, equipment and technologies for nuclear activities for peaceful purposes. The effective management of nuclear security does not allow for exclusions or selectivity. International standards on nuclear security should be adopted within the framework of the IAEA, as a result of transparent, inclusive and multilateral negotiations with the participation of all States. Cuba reiterates that the leading role of the Agency in seeking agreed approaches to that issue should not be minimized or concealed. In that regard, we welcome the successful conclusion of the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security, held in Vienna from 5 to 9 December 2016. However, we emphasize that nuclear security and measures to strengthen it are the responsibility of each State. In July, Cuba deposited its instruments of accession to the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, which entered into force for Cuba on 1 October. We welcome the entry into force of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, which will promote the greater protection of nuclear facilities and materials, affirm the peaceful use of nuclear energy and facilitate cooperation among States parties to prevent and combat crimes with the use of radioactive and nuclear materials. Cuba welcomes the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the Islamic Republic of Iran. We emphasize that the JCPOA is a clear example that dialogue and negotiations are the appropriate ways to resolve differences and reach satisfactory agreements for all the parties involved in an issue. We reiterate that applying selective approaches that give priority to horizontal proliferation and ignore vertical proliferation and disarmament will not help to eliminate the threat posed by a terrorist attack with nuclear materials. We reaffirm our support for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East. In that regard, we deplore the fact that the conference planned for that purpose has not yet taken place. In conclusion, Cuba congratulates the Agency’s Director General, Mr. Yukiya Amano, on his reappointment for an additional term, which constitutes recognition of his leadership in the promotion of nuclear applications and the Agency’s technical cooperation under the banner of Atoms for Peace and Development.

The delegation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would like to point out that the report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the urgency of this meeting present a seriously distorted picture of reality with regard to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, and I would like to make its position clear. The nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula is the product of the hostile policy and nuclear threats of the United States towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, for which the United States is entirely responsible. If the United States had not been enforcing a hostile policy for more than 70 years against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — since the day our country was founded — and if that policy had not been intensified with undisguised nuclear blackmail and threats, the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula would never have arisen in the first place. For the Korean people, who have experienced the disastrous disturbances of war caused by the United States on the Korean peninsula, powerful deterrence is an inevitable strategic option for our national defence and a precious strategic asset that cannot be reversed or bartered away for anything in the world. The root cause of the prevailing nuclear threat on the Korean peninsula and the fact that the situation has so often got out of control lies in the nuclear threats and hostile policy of the United States towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In utter disregard for that reality, the IAEA submits a report every year to the General Assembly that is full of prejudice and unfairness, siding with the United States and its hostile policy towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is unfair for the IAEA to take issue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is not a member State of the Agency, in its annual report. It was none other than the IAEA, at the instigation of the United States, that roused suspicions regarding the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s peaceful nuclear facilities in the 1990s and compelled the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to leave the IAEA and withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has never recognized the annual reports of the IAEA or the resolutions adopted by its Board of Governors, which are full of distortions and prejudices. We categorically reject them. If the IAEA truly wants peace and security on the Korean peninsula, it should first take issue with the United States, which is the real nuclear-war criminal and ringleader of the nuclear threat. Owing to the extreme hostile policy and nuclear threat of the United States towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Korean peninsula is on the brink of a nuclear war. Despite the serious concerns of the international community, the United States continues to stage its aggressive joint annual military exercises with the aim of making a pre-emptive nuclear attack against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as it brings strategic assets into South Korea, including the means to conduct nuclear strikes. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has opted to possess nuclear weapons to safeguard its sovereignty and its right to existence and development from the hostile policy and nuclear threats of the United States. It is holding fast to the strategic line of simultaneously building up its economy and its nuclear force. We will not put our nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles on the negotiating table under any circumstances unless the hostile policy and nuclear threat of the United States against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea cease completely. We will hold fast to the line of simultaneously developing those two fronts, under the lasting banner of defending peace, and continue to march forward without the slightest deviation to the end of the road that we have chosen for ourselves. As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will make a positive contribution to ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and throughout the rest of the world.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate the President on the able leadership he has shown during this session. We are ready to work for successful outcomes to our proceedings. We also warmly congratulate Mr. Amano on his reappointment as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and wish him every success in the discharge of his functions. We have taken note of the annual report (see A/72/221) of the Agency for 2016, which contains an outline of the activities and achievements of the IAEA in the main fields of technical cooperation, nuclear technology, nuclear safety and security, and safeguards. Given the importance of the matters addressed in the report, my delegation would like to make the following observations. With regard to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, my delegation welcomes the initiative taken by the Agency in holding its first international conference on the Programme, which took place in Vienna this year and was an important opportunity to address the contributions of technologies and the use of the atomic energy to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as other applications. We hope that initiative will be organized in the form of a ministerial conference so as to strengthen and increase technical cooperation among member States. Since the role of the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme will be played out over many years into the future, my country will continue to contribute regularly to the regular budget of the Agency and the Programme. The Technical Cooperation Programme calls for allocating sufficient predictable financial resources to help the Agency to meet its future obligations, including the implementation of the SDGs. I would like to comment on some aspects that merit special attention. Within the framework of its national programme to combat cancer, Algeria continues its efforts to integrate and use nuclear techniques and applications in the area of health care to diagnose and treat this terrible disease. Accordingly, we have strengthened our training activities for physicians and other specialized medical personnel in the area of radiation protection. We are implementing a plan of action designed in accordance with the recommendations made by the Agency through its two missions to Algeria. With the assistance of the IAEA, Algeria has improved its maintenance of nuclear equipment and training facilities, where periodic training programmes, including those for other African States, are held. In September, we also formulated Algeria’s country programme framework for the period from 2018 to 2023, in conjunction with the relevant national sectors and the IAEA. My country also continues to make serious efforts to strengthen technical cooperation among African States within the framework of the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology. In that regard, the four regional centres established under the Cooperative Agreement in Algeria are actively training people in dealing with protection from nuclear radiation, conducting research on nuclear medicine and food safety, and working to implement other related national programmes. Nuclear security and safety are a major focus for Algeria. We appreciate the efforts of the IAEA in that regard, particularly since its expertise is fundamental in terms of fostering an international framework in that area. We reiterate our principled position that States have great responsibility when it comes to nuclear safety and security. We believe that measures to strengthen nuclear safety and security should neither impede international cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities nor curb the priorities of the Technical Cooperation Programme as set forth by the Agency. Algeria is also making concerted efforts on radiation safety related to basic national structures, through the establishment of a stringent oversight system using atomic-radiation equipment and following the laws that regulate protection from radiation hazards. We welcome the entry into force in 2016 of the amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. We emphasize the need for universal accession to international legal instruments on nuclear security at the national level and in accordance with our international obligations. We support the relevant recommendations by improving national structures, including training systems with extraregional jurisdiction to help with the exchange of information and expertise. Algeria’s approach to nuclear security involves a progressive approach consistent with our national policy, taking into account our national nuclear safety goals and priorities as well as other related international obligations. Algeria considers the IAEA verification regime to be an essential element in the multilateral system of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We underscore the universal character of this regime, and we take note of the efforts of the IAEA to foster the regime’s effectiveness. We urge the Agency to continue to make efforts in strict adherence to its mandate and functions. The IAEA remains the optimal national legal framework for promoting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear-weapon States within the framework of the comprehensive safeguards regime. Accordingly, we would like to express our satisfaction at the mutual trust and cooperation Algeria enjoys with the IAEA in the context of implementing our Safeguards Agreement. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is a significant part of international efforts in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and in the maintenance of international peace and security. In that connection, we would like to reiterate how important it is to see the Treaty enter into force, and we call on all Member States that have still not acceded to it to do so without delay. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) guarantees States the use of nuclear weapons for peaceful purposes. There can be no justification for questioning that right, and certainly not on grounds relating to nuclear peace and security. Such matters are regulated by internationally binding instruments such as the Pelindaba Treaty, which established a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa. We firmly believe in the importance of establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones all over the world, given their significance for the preservation of international peace and security and the contribution they make to nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. In that regard, Algeria would like to once again express its deep concern about the obstacles that have been placed in the way of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East since the decision on that was made at the 1995 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as about the absence of any concrete progress in that regard, which constitutes a clear threat to the safety and security of the region and indeed the entire world. It was on that basis that we participated in the NPT negotiations as part of our campaign to eliminate all nuclear weapons and were among the first signatories to the Treaty, based on our belief in the importance of ridding the world of such weapons. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons on winning the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, rewarding its enormous efforts and drawing attention to the disastrous repercussions of nuclear weapons, as well as the importance of adhering to the NPT.

At the outset, my delegation would like to express its appreciation for the work done to prepare the annual report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which outlines the achievements and activities of the Agency in 2016. Despite the challenges we face in fighting the terrorist gangs of Da’esh, my Government has taken numerous positive steps in the area of nuclear power and radiation management, including by enacting a law in 2016 establishing an atomic energy commission, which it is currently in the final stages of setting up. The relevant authorities are assessing facilities and sources where hazardous substances, especially radioactive materials, were stored, particularly in areas previously controlled by terrorist groups. The Government has adopted a set of basic principles for a national policy on managing radioactive waste and is working on ways to safely dispose of the radioactive waste produced through the destruction of former nuclear sites, as well as materials from medical, industrial and oil facilities. Within its framework of cooperation with the IAEA, Iraq has now signed a country programme framework for the period from 2018 to 2023, an important document regulating our joint efforts. With regard to the implementation of our international obligations, Iraq has now ratified the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. We have taken the measures necessary for implementing both Conventions through specialized committees and for following up on that implementation. The Technical Cooperation Programme is one of the Agency’s main activities in the field of promoting and transferring nuclear technology to assist sustainable socioeconomic progress in developing countries, in line with the Statute of the IAEA. It is the joint responsibility of the Agency and Member States, whose concerted efforts directly affect the success of the Programme, which is implemented on the basis of States’ requirements and needs. It also requires the provision of resources for promotional activities. The Technical Cooperation Programme’s resources should therefore be guaranteed and be part of the activities of the Agency, in accordance with its rules of procedure. We believe that eliminating nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East represents a major step towards establishing safety and stability there. Considering the recent dangerous and sensitive developments in the international arena and the Middle East in particular, we believe the international community should shoulder its collective responsibility to work diligently to restore peace to the region. In that connection, my delegation once again emphasizes the cardinal role of the United Nations and the three depositary States of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in convening a conference on restoring peace to the region as soon as possible, in line with the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, as well as the Plan of Action of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Iraq is of the view that some of the most important and urgent steps involved in restoring peace to the region include Israel’s dismantling of its nuclear-weapon programme, accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear State and subjection of its nuclear installations to the IAEA comprehensive safeguards regime. We believe that enhancing programmes for the peaceful use of nuclear power in all countries is an inalienable right that involves assistance in improving development programmes, particularly in developing countries, without the imposition of restrictions or impediments by particular groups or of international conditions that have a negative effect on the interests of those States.

At the outset, I would like to thank Director General Yukiya Amano for his presentation of the report (see A/72/221) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its activities during 2016, and to express the congratulations of the Government of El Salvador on his reappointment as Director General. We hope that he will continue his tireless work at the helm of the IAEA. Draft resolution A/72/L.6, on the IAEA report, which the General Assembly adopts every year, is based on the agreement between the United Nations and the Agency entered into 1957, and reaffirms the Agency’s indispensable role in promoting the development and use of atomic energy for peaceful uses, transferring technology to developing countries and maintaining a verification and nuclear safety regime. My delegation believes that this represents a unique opportunity for informing the Assembly about the activities of the Agency during the reporting year and giving Member States an opportunity to engage in and support the Agency’s ongoing work. We also welcome the decisions adopted by the IAEA General Conference at its sixty-first session, held from 18 to 22 September. In that context, my country recognizes the sovereign right to develop and make use of nuclear technologies exclusively for peaceful purposes, as provided for under article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. At the same time, we reaffirm our obligation to work for general and complete disarmament as the only genuine guarantee of peace, security and international stability. In the global context, countries must continue to promote the use of nuclear science and technology for exclusively peaceful purposes and prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, with a view to making an ongoing contribution to sustainable development and world peace. My country is aware of the benefits of nuclear technology for the peoples of the world, not just where electricity generation is concerned but also in other areas such as health care, agriculture, food safety, environment and research. We therefore firmly believe that by working together, cooperating and establishing synergies among countries for appropriate and peaceful uses of nuclear technology, it is possible to achieve excellent results that foster scientific development for the benefit of our populations. In that regard, it is essential to ensure that countries work together with the IAEA so that nuclear energy can be used to improve the coverage and quality of health care, the production and distribution of food and the prevention and mitigation of the negative impacts of climate change, as well as to improve our approach to natural disasters, among other high-priority areas, all of which can help to achieve real human development. El Salvador appreciates the ongoing invaluable support of the IAEA in implementing and strengthening the uses of atomic energy in technology and science, enabling us to make significant progress in those areas, and we hope to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation with it, in recognition of the major added value it brings as an organization. We are currently drawing up our country programme framework for the period 2018 to 2023, continuing the cooperation between El Salvador and the IAEA that will enable us to further align our Government’s priorities with the Agency’s work. Finally, we reiterate our firm commitment to continuing to work with the Agency, and we urge Member States to continue to support the activities of the IAEA. Programme of work

Before adjourning the meeting, I would like to inform members that the Assembly’s consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 114, entitled “Election of twenty members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination”, and sub-item (f) of agenda item 115, entitled “Appointment of members of the Committee on Conferences”, which was originally scheduled for Friday, 17 November, has been postponed to a later date, to be announced.