Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Austria
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Agenda Item 5(b): Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic

IAEA Board of Governors: 18 November 2016

Statement by Mr David Lewis, Alternate Permanent Representative to the IAEA

Agenda Item 5 (b): Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic

                                                                                                                                           

Mr Chair,

As the Director General noted in his most recent written report (GOV/2016/44), and confirmed to the Board in his opening statement yesterday, no new information has come to the knowledge of the Agency that would impact on its assessment that it was very likely that the building destroyed at the Dair Alzour site was a nuclear reactor that should have been declared by Syria.

We reiterate our call on Syria to implement the Resolution adopted by this Board in June 2011.  We consider that it would set a dangerous precedent if instances of non-compliance were removed from the Board’s consideration due simply to the passage of time or lack of cooperation by the Member State found to be in non-compliance.

Australia therefore requests that the implementation of safeguards in the Syrian Arab Republic be retained on the Board’s agenda, and that the Director General continue to report to the Board on this matter, until the Agency determines that Syria has remedied its non-compliance.

Thank you.