IAEA Board of Governors
Agenda item 7(c): Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic
13 September 2023
Statement by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Governor and Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Chair
Australia thanks the Director General for the update provided in his latest report (GOV/2023/42) and his opening statement to the Board on the implementation of safeguards in the Syrian Arab Republic. We thank the Director General and the Secretariat for their continued efforts to address outstanding questions regarding undeclared facilities and activities at the Dair Alzour site and other relevant locations.
Chair
Syria’s continued unwillingness to engage constructively with the Agency on this issue is a matter of deep concern for Australia. We are deeply concerned that Syria continues to fail to fulfil its legal obligations under its NPT Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA and has disregarded this Board’s June 2011 resolution (GOV/2011/41) and repeated calls from Board members, the Director General and the Agency on this issue.
Chair
Once again, Australia urges Syria to cooperate constructively with the Agency in resolving all outstanding questions, so that the Agency is able to provide the necessary safeguards assurances.
Addressing this case of safeguards non-compliance is a matter of critical importance for all Member States committed to preserving the credibility of the safeguards regime. We call on Syria to take the opportunity, offered once again by the Director General in August 2023, to discuss arrangements for resolving all outstanding issues, and to demonstrate its commitment to cooperating fully and constructively with the Agency on the implementation of safeguards pursuant to its NPT Safeguards Agreement.
Chair
The mere passage of time is not justification for removing an item on non-compliance with safeguards obligations from the Board’s agenda. Until all outstanding questions regarding Syria’s non-compliance are satisfactorily resolved, we request that this item be retained on the agenda for all future meetings of the Board. We once again thank the Director General for his efforts to address the issue and for keeping the Member States updated on relevant developments, and join the requests to make his latest report (GOV/2023/42) public.
Thank you Chair.