Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Austria
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia

Statement on behalf of the Southeast Asia and the Pacific group

68th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference

Statement on behalf of the Southeast Asia and the Pacific group, delivered by H. E. Mr Ian Biggs, Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA

President,

The following statement is made on behalf of the members of the Southeast Asia and the Pacific (SEAP) group.

In my capacity as chair of the SEAP Group, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the group has admitted Brunei Darussalam as a member of the group – a consensual decision made by all group members.

Along with the two new members in the Middle East and South Asia group, Bahrain and Nepal, we view this reduction in the number of arealess states as a positive step in the right direction.

President,

SEAP congratulates Ambassador Holger Martinsen of Argentina for assuming the role of Chair of the Group of Friends of Arealess States.

SEAP encourages further discussions including within the Group of Friends, as well as among Member States across area groups in an inclusive manner to make progress in addressing the situation of arealess states at the Agency.

Please be assured of the support and good will of all of our delegations.

Thank you.