STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY WELCOMING THE RESUMPTION OF DISCUSSIONS ON THE DISMANTLING OF RUSSIAN NUCLEAR WARHEADS

Speaking in Vienna as leader of the South African delegation at the 43rd Regular Session of the General Conference of the IAEA (27 September to 1 October 1999), the Minister urged all member states to support funding of the Agency's involvement in this major disarmament initiative. The Minister further welcomed the continued support of the IAEA of the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA). She welcomed the support received from the Agency and stressed South Africa's commitment to Nuclear Safety and the global culture of safety and security. In conclusion she stressed the importance of the Agency in the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear weapons and expressed pride in the African leadership of this Conference and the Agency. She commended the Director General of the IAEA for his initiatives.

The Minister further stressed that :

• South Africa, in cooperation with the IAEA strives to facilitate the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy for sustainable development on the continent;
• South Africa is strongly committed to education and training in radiological protection and nuclear safety and has established, in collaboration with the IAEA, an African Regional Centre for Radiation Protection Training at the University of Witwatersrand;
• Under the Technical Co-operation Programme the Agency is involved in neonatal screening at the Johannesburg Hospital, sustainability of underground water resources using isotope hydrology and molecular techniques for diagnosis of drug resistance in Tuberculosis;
• The Agency's importance as a vital component in global nuclear non-proliferation is being underscored by its Model Protocol additional to the Safeguards Agreement which South Africa hopes to ratify next year. This Model Protocol will strengthen the existing safeguards agreement between South Africa and the IAEA;
• South Africa is firmly committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and will be chairing the Review Conference in the year 2000;
• Y2K compliance has been achieved by the CNS, AEC and ESKOM;
• The Minister met with her counterparts from Russia, the USA, Germany and China amongst others, to discuss issues of mutual interest and cooperation. Both Russia and the USA briefed the Minister and she noted with interest the ongoing research in respect of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. When the Government needs decisions in this regard it will draw on the international wealth of information offered to South Africa.

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Pretoria

28 SEPTEMBER 1999