ID :
223681
Wed, 01/18/2012 - 08:41
Auther :

Draft Communique Prepared For Seoul Nuclear Summit

New Delhi, Jan 18, IRNA -- Strengthening of the nuclear material security regime with a focus on nuclear terrorism threat is part of the draft communique prepared by the meeting of Sherpas of 49 countries here. The two-day preparatory meeting, which concluded Tuesday, discussed the issues for the draft communique that would be adopted by the Nuclear Safety Summit to be held in Seoul in March and will be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh among other Heads of the Governments. 'The main objective of the Nuclear Summit process has been to focus high-level global attention on the threat posed by nuclear terrorism and the measures required to address the global challenge of preventing terrorists and other non-state actors from gaining access to sensitive nuclear materials, technology and information,' pti reported quoting Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai as said. He said the draft communique is a substantive document that seeks to reaffirm the Washington communique and build on the momentum that has been generated since the last Summit. Security of nuclear materials is fundamentally a national responsibility but there is considerable scope for international cooperation to strengthen nuclear security objectives and standards, he said. In this regard, there was considerable emphasis on the leading role of the IAEA in the international nuclear security framework and the need to strengthen multilateral instruments that address nuclear security such as the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Asked if the safety of nuclear weapons in Pakistan was discussed, Mathai said country-specific issues were not discussed. Among the topics being discussed for considered for inclusion in the Seoul Summit outcome Communiqué are measures to secure the management of highly enriched uranium, measures to ensure radiological security, promoting transport security and combating illicit trafficking, Mathai said. Security of sensitive information and increasing international cooperation and assistance were other topics, he said. 'In this regard, you would recall that India had announced the setting up of the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership', he said. The Seoul Summit will also give consideration to strengthening the synergy between nuclear safety and nuclear security, an issue which has become topical after the Fukushima accident of March, 2011, in Japan. 'We feel that this issue merits Summit-level consideration to enhance public confidence that measures are being taken to ensure that nuclear energy, which is an essential energy source, is used in a safe and secure manner,' he said. India is committed to the success of the Nuclear Security Summit process and the Prime Minister will be attending the Seoul Summit. 'The holding of the Sherpa meeting in New Delhi, the first of its kind that we have hosted, is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the Nuclear Security Summit process,' he added./end

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