EU Statement on IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's Report on Technical Cooperation Between Iran and the IAEA

March 8, 2007

Weapon Program: 

  • Nuclear

Related Country: 

  • Iran

Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia?and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, the EFTA countries Iceland and Liechtenstein, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Moldova and Ukraine, associate themselves with this statement.

2. The European Union commends the Secretariat for its comprehensive examination of Technical Cooperation-projects in connection with the Islamic Republic of Iran as contained in GOV / 2007 / 7.

3. The European Union recalls its strong support for the Technical Cooperation Programme of the IAEA, to which the EU Member States collectively are the largest contributors. We attach great importance to adequate financial and human resources in order to enable the IAEA to meet effectively its responsibilities in the areas of Technical Cooperation. The European Union continues to call on all states to pay the agreed shares in full, and on time.

Mr. Chairman,

4. Article IV of the NPT enshrines the inalienable right of all States Parties to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with the responsibilities set out in Articles I and II as well as III of the Treaty. The European Union recalls the conditions and responsibilities laid down by the NPT for the exercise of the right to nuclear energy: the observance of non-proliferation commitments, the implementation of IAEA safeguards, and the pursuit, in accordance with the good-faith principle, of peaceful purposes. Similarly, Article II of the IAEA Statute stipulates that the Agency shall seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. The same article requires that the Agency shall ensure, so far as it is able, that assistance provided by it is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose.

5. On December 23rd 2006 the United Nations Security Council as a result of Iran's non-compliance with Resolution 1696 unanimously adopted Resolution 1737 and restricted the scope of the Agency's cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Four days later Director General, Dr Mohamed ElBaradei, announced a comprehensive examination of the Agency's cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran and undertook to produce a list of projects which could, in the Secretariat's judgement be continued in the light of UNSC Resolution 1737.

Document GOV / 2007 / 7 contains a thoughtful and comprehensive understanding of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 by the Secretariat as well as a list of Technical Cooperation projects to be continued, discontinued or examined on a case-by-case basis.

6. It is the European Union's understanding that no assistance shall be provided to the Islamic Republic of Iran in the proliferation-sensitive areas of enrichment related, reprocessing or heavy water related activities or the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems. Assistance within the Agency's Technical Cooperation Programme shall only be extended to Iran as explicitly enumerated in operative paragraph 16 of UN Security Council Resolution 1737: i.e. for food, agricultural, medical, safety or other humanitarian purposes or in areas specified by sub-paragraphs 3(b)(i) and (ii) of this Resolution.

Mr. Chairman,

7. Against this background the Secretariat has identified 55 projects which are or will be operational and might include participation by the Islamic Republic of Iran. 22 of these projects have been discontinued or will only be implemented on a case by case basis under strictest observance of Security Council Resolution 1737, operative paragraph 16.

8. The European Union encourages the Secretariat to step up its process of intense consultations with Member States with a view to providing transparent, immediate and comprehensive information on all technical assistance extended to the Islamic Republic of Iran, not only within the Technical Cooperation Programme of the Agency.

9. We have taken note of document GOV / 2007 / 7 and would like to underline the need to remain vigilant to ensure that projects in co-operation with the Islamic Republic of Iran be fully consistent with the resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security Council throughout the implementation process. We would like to request the Secretariat to keep the Board informed on this matter, at each of its meetings and at other times as appropriate as long as the relevant provisions of Resolution 1737 remain in force.

Mr Chairman,

10. The European Union reiterates its strong support for the Technical Cooperation programme and attaches great importance to the principle of consensus in approving the Technical Cooperation programme. With this understanding the European Union supports the Secretariat's views on the TC programme as expressed in GOV / 2007 / 7.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.