Date: 18/06/2003
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs
Title: Minty: Meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors


STATEMENT BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MR ABDUL S MINTY, AT THE MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) BOARD OF GOVERNORS, Tehran, Iran, 18 June 2003

Madam Chairperson,

My delegation wishes to thank the Director-General for his insightful report as contained in GOV/2003/40 - on the implementation of the safeguards agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the outset I would also like to express our appreciation for the co-operation that has thus far been extended to the Director-General and his staff by the Iranian authorities.

As my delegation has already stated at the March 2003 meeting of the Board of Governors, we recognise and support the legitimate right of all states to utilise the atom for peaceful purposes. Based on our own experience and capabilities we believe that ownership of the capabilities that could be utilised to develop nuclear weapons places a special responsibility on the States concerned. The Agency has to be able to verify that all such capabilities are being used for peaceful purposes only, including through the mechanisms available under the Additional Protocol for strengthened safeguards. Having taken the responsibility that accrues from being in possession of the capabilities that could be used to develop nuclear weapons, it is our view that States must also accept the responsibility of building confidence with the international community that would remove any concerns about nuclear weapons proliferation. This requires full transparency, which implies total co-operation with the Agency. It is of course particularly important for those States that have developed full nuclear fuel cycles.

Madam Chairperson,

In the case of the capabilities being developed by Iran, South Africa has studied the report of the Director-General and noted the concern expressed in relation to the failures mentioned and welcomes the fact that these are in the process of being rectified by Iran.

We have earlier expressed our appreciation of the action taken by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for inviting the Director-General to that country to discuss Iran's plans for the use of nuclear power. We commend Iran for allowing the Director-General and his team to visit a number of facilities in that country and welcome the subsequent enhanced co-operation between the government of Iran and the Agency.

We are confident that this enhanced co-operation will continue and the remaining questions will be clarified soon, so that the situation is rectified.

We are encouraged by Iran's readiness to conclude an Additional Protocol with the Agency and hope that this will be done as soon as possible.

My delegation is fully supportive of the actions undertaken by the IAEA to date and commend the Director-General for all his efforts and look forward to an early resolution of this matter.

I thank you.

For more information, please contact Ms Nomfanelo Kota on 012) 351 0264, 082 377 7208
Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
18 June 2003