First session
Vienna, 30 April-11 May 2007

                Cluster III

                Working paper submitted by Norway

                The inalienable right to peaceful use

1.      Norway fully supports the right to peaceful use as stipulated in article IV of the NPT and in conformity with articles I, II and III of the Treaty.
2.      Civilian nuclear applications are much more than nuclear energy. Norway attaches great importance to facilitating the use of nuclear technology for all: in the health sector, agriculture, water management and environmental monitoring. Peaceful nuclear applications represent an important contribution to our joint efforts at reaching the Millennium Development Goals.
3.      Norway has taken note of different forecasts estimating that the use of nuclear energy will increase greatly in the years to come. Many existing nuclear installations for power generation are well into their expected lifetime. While nuclear energy may have a positive impact on efforts to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, there are also severe environmental implications. Ways to handle the large and increasing quantities of nuclear waste in all its aspects in a safe, secure and environmentally sound way must be found. Sufficient resources must be set aside in the search of sustainable and environmentally sound solutions.

                Peaceful use and nuclear non-proliferation

4.      From a Norwegian perspective, it is vital that peaceful uses of nuclear technology do not undermine non-proliferation efforts, nuclear security or safety. For this reason, Norway welcomes suggestions to make the nuclear fuel cycle more resistant to nuclear proliferation. Norway strongly supports efforts to reduce the number of vulnerable fuel-cycle facilities and the use of high-risk materials, such as highly enriched uranium, in all types of nuclear facilities.
5.      Norway advocates renewed international efforts for developing multilateral nuclear fuel-cycle arrangements that are proliferation-resistant and also take into account concerns of developing countries.
6.      To that end, Norway welcomes efforts to develop international fuel-supply guarantees and acknowledges the progress made in establishing international centres of excellence for research at shared facilities. In combination and with the support of all Member States, these measures could help secure a stronger regime and international cooperation in the future. Norway is particularly pleased with the leading role that IAEA has played in many of these issues.

                Peaceful use and nuclear safety

7.      Nuclear safety covers a range of important activities. Within the framework of the Agency, a number of important instruments have been developed. Besides the normative functions, IAEA provides expertise and technical assistance to Member States in implementing their safety obligations.
8.      Within the Governing Board of the Agency, Norway has called for long-term sustainable and predictable funding of the Agency’s safety activities. This is a matter that should be addressed with urgency.
9.      Norway has on a number of occasions welcomed and supported IAEA fundamental principles for nuclear safety, which provide a general and integrated guide to requirements and responsibilities in order to ensure the fundamental safety objective of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
10.     Those safety principles place particular responsibility on the operators to ensure adequate safety standards and practices, as well as on governmental agencies to put in place and enforce effective legal and regulatory frameworks.
11.     While nuclear safety is a national responsibility, radiation risks can transcend national borders. International cooperation serves to control hazards, prevent accidents, respond to emergencies and mitigate consequences. Norway supports and adheres to all international conventions, codes of conduct and guidelines encompassing the global nuclear safety regime.
12.     Particularly, Norway continues to advocate universal adherence to the Conventions on Nuclear Safety, Early Notification and Assistance, the Joint Convention on Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management and the Codes of Conduct on Radioactive Sources and Research Reactors. Norway emphasizes the importance of States parties to continue to assess their own performance under these conventions and codes. Norway encourages all States parties to contribute to the next review cycle of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, which will commence in September 2007.