IAEA Board of Governors Meeting

IAEA Board of Governors Meeting
June 6-10, 2011
Technical Cooperation Report for 2010
U.S. Statement

Ambassador Glyn Davies

Permanent U.S. Representative to the IAEA

 
Mr. Chairman,

Today the Secretariat has presented to us a new Technical Cooperation project entitled “Marine benchmark study on the possible impact of the Fukushima radioactive releases in the Asia-Pacific Region.” In the wake of the recent natural disasters in Japan leading to the Fukushima nuclear incident,

Member States in the region are understandably concerned for the safety of their marine environments. The IAEA has unique expertise to offer in helping them to assess how recent events in Japan may affect their food and water resources. We commend the Department of Technical Cooperation, in coordination with the Departments of Nuclear Sciences and Applications and Nuclear Safety and Security, for the quick work in assessing this need and developing a project to address these concerns. The United States fully supports this project and endorses Board of Governors approval for both the project and for the use of footnote-a/ funds to cover the cost of the project, to be implemented as resources become available.

While the Secretariat has demonstrated admirable flexibility and agility in assembling this project quickly to meet an urgent need, we recognize that existing funding sources for the Program cannot be mobilized to support this project in the immediate term, and that extra-budgetary resources are required. This urgent and unforeseeable need is precisely the kind of case to which the Peaceful Uses Initiative is able to respond. My delegation is pleased to announce that the United States will immediately make available $400,000 for this new regional, Fukushima-related project, to be drawn from our contribution to the Peaceful Uses Initiative. Our support for the PUI is in addition to our longstanding commitment to support the Technical Cooperation Fund. In addition to providing added resources, this new initiative allows flexibility in matching needs and resources that the Technical Cooperation Fund cannot. We hope this contribution will allow the project to move forward without delay, and that other contributors will join us by making additional funds available for its completion.