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International Atomic Energy Association's 45th regular
session In Vienna, Austria entered its second day
with a continuation of statements by member states.
The
annual session, which runs through September 21,
provides a forum for IAEA's 132-member states to
address nuclear safety concerns and nuclear proliferation.
While substantive debate in the plenary session will
begin tomorrow, resolutions are already being negotiated
at the parallel sessions of the Committee of the
Whole.
"People start rolling up their
sleeves tomorrow and begin work on the
resolutions," said Melissa Fleming,
spokesperson for the IAEA. "The
Committee of the Whole has already accepted
draft resolutions on issues including
the budget and personnel."
Fleming said the United States is planning
to put forward a draft resolution specifically
relating to the impact of terrorism.
The resolution will call on the IAEA
and member states to give thought to
increasing the strength of safeguard
measures against nuclear proliferation.
"It may be difficult to get some
member states to agree to the language
of the program," said Fleming, "especially
if it calls for the condemnation of countries
that harbor terrorists."
The US Secretary of Energy, Spencer
Abraham, directed his statement Tuesday
to condemning last week's terrorist attacks
on New York and Washington DC. A statement
sent by President George Bush also urged
the IAEA to step up efforts to prevent
the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The agenda for the session already includes
numerous sessions on nuclear safety,
but now there will be added urgency to
enforce safety measures. Although a provision
in the rules of the IAEA allows the United
States to add another topic to the agenda
- in this case terrorism-- the US delegation
has shown no signs of doing so. The agenda
will, however, address Israel's nuclear
capabilities and the application of IAEA
safeguards in the Middle East.
The recent attacks in the United States
have thrust nuclear safety into the limelight,
especially concerning nuclear material
falling into the hands of terrorist organizations.
The delegates to the conference, however,
seem largely unaware of the media attention
they are receiving.
"The press office is very busy," said
Fleming. "And there is a lot of
interest from the press and the public.
But delegates are holed into conference
rooms and may not be aware that the nuclear
issue is in the spotlight."
Nuclear installation safety, specifically
on the safety of nuclear research reactors,
is another concern for the IAEA. These
reactors, usually attached to research
institutions, do not generate power and
provide information on peaceful uses
of nuclear energy, including medical
applications. The IAEA is concerned,
however, of the insufficient safety standards
regarding waste disposal and management
for nuclear reactors.
Radiation safety will also be discussed
at the session. The misuse of radioactive
materials in medical research is another
important issue that will be addressed.
Falsely calibrated radio-therapy machines
used for cancer patients can lead to
radiation poisoning and even death. The
IAEA will assess the need for increased
planning, education and training in order
to avoid such accidents.
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