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Statement
Mr. President, On behalf of the Indonesian delegation, it is a pleasure for me to express our sincere appreciation to the distinguished Director-General of the IAEA, Dr. Mohammed EL Baradei, for his introduction of the Agency’s Report and the comprehensive statement highlighting its role and activities. The period covered by the Report has confirmed that the Director-General, with professionalism and dedication, has further strengthened the role of the IAEA in the field of nuclear energy. We are particularly grateful for drawing our attention to the Agency’s three main areas of functions - as a modality for the transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, as the recognized authority supporting intergovernmental efforts to strengthen nuclear safety around the world and as an indispensable instrument in moving forward the international nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. Indonesia welcomes this unified approach based on the three pillars of technology, safety and verification. It is now universally recognized that the IAEA is the international community’s principal modality for the utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Among its most important aspect is the generation of electricity in meeting the growing energy demands of the future. For reasons of energy security, countries with limited fossil fuel resources should be encouraged to diversify their energy supply systems to include both renewable and non-renewable sources in ensuring national development on a sustainable basis. In the context of these considerations and the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, the Agency deserves our commendation for its efforts in providing information and training on the potential role of nuclear power under the Clean Development Mechanism. In this regard as well, collective efforts with the assistance of the Agency should be undertaken towards appropriate technical solutions in providing safe and reliable energy at affordable rates especially for the developing countries. Again, we are grateful to the Agency for its assistance in introducing nuclear power through the use of small and medium size reactors as a viable option to generate electricity. I would like to bring to your attention the meeting held between our President, H.E. Abdurahman Wahid and the Director-General of the IAEA in December last year. At that meeting the President affirmed his support for the peaceful uses of nuclear technology in meeting the basic needs of the people. The President also stressed that his Government has an open mind toward the utilization of nuclear energy as an alternative source in the future. Ensuring a high level of nuclear safety throughout the world, is of primary importance to Indonesia. Safety aspects must be taken into account at an early stage in the design of nuclear facilities. We agree with the widely-held view, that while responsibility for the safe design, construction and operation of a nuclear installation rest with the state having jurisdiction over such an installation, cooperation among states is needed to ensure that internationally accepted levels of nuclear safety are in place everywhere. While noteworthy advances have been made, much still remains to be done. It is important that the Contracting parties to the next review meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety will make substantial progress in areas requiring safety improvements. In this context, Indonesia recently promulgated two regulations, one on Nuclear and Radiation Safety and the other on Nuclear Energy Utilization intended to facilitate the implementation of the New International Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and Safety of Radiation Sources. In its continuing quest for the further strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and for a world free from the dangers posed by nuclear weapons, Indonesia has signed the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. I should like to point out. in this regard that Indonesia is among the first few countries to have ratified and implemented the Protocol. This is in recognition of the Agency’s critical role in safeguarding nuclear materials and facilities to prevent their theft or diversion for military purposes which calls for the universal conclusion of additional protocols. At the regional level, Indonesia actively participated in the ASEAN-IAEA Workshop on the Implementation of South East Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty held in Bangkok this year and proposed the establishment of the ASEAN Safeguards System in order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Treaty. It is our expectation that the proposed safeguards system could make a significant contribution in further strengthening mutual trust and confidence among members of ASEAN and also reinforce provisions concerning programs for safeguards. As far as research reactor technology is concerned, Mr. President, our scientists and engineers in the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) have successfully increased the capacity of the nuclear reactor in Bandung. Another research reactor was inaugurated during last June by the Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia. These complex undertakings have been successfully carried out by our own engineers after having participated in various technical cooperation programmes initiated by the IAEA, for which we wish to thank the Agency. Technical cooperation program is one of the most valuable components of the activities undertaken by the IAEA. It has greatly benefited Indonesia in developing its human resource capabilities scientific-technical facilities and supportive infrastructure deemed important for our national priorities in areas such as the health, industry, agriculture, livestock production and environment. We have already expressed our willingness to share our expertise and scientific facilities and exchange our experiences with other developing countries. Its consummation, however, would depend upon the Agency’s efforts to promote South-South cooperation in addition to the existing North-South framework. In this context, we wish to appeal to the Agency to further continue to explore the possibility of introducing new and innovative programmes for the developing countries. We also gratefully acknowledge the support extended by the Agency to Indonesia’ s Nuclear Energy Control Board in convening two regional workshops, the first on "Strengthening National Capabilities to Respond to Radiological Emergencies" and the second on "The Development of a Legal Framework Governing the Safety of Radio-Active Waste Management and the Safe Transport of Radio-Active Material". In our view, the holding of these workshops is both timely and appropriate for the Asia-Pacific region as they contributed not only, to an awareness of the problems involved but also develop its own capabilities in responding to any radiological emergencies. We look forward to such activities in the future in various aspects of radiation safety and safeguards tailored to the specific needs of our region. It should be emphasized that such cooperative activities implemented through effective programs would contribute significantly to improving the scientific, technological and regulatory capabilities of the developing countries. My delegation welcomes the Technical Cooperation Strategy and the concept of "Partner in Development" including the Country Program Framework and Thematic Planning through the application of Model Project criteria. The adoption of these approaches by the Agency are in full conformity with the policy and strategy of the Government of Indonesia in giving a sharper focus and greater emphasis on the advantages for the end-users and socio-economic impact of science and technology, rather than on the output generated solely by R&D. Accordingly, our National Nuclear Energy Agency has successfully developed partnerships with various ministries, provincial governments, academic institutions, NGO’s and the private sector for the development and application of nuclear techniques for the improvement of our people’s welfare and well-being. Let me take this opportunity to reaffirm that Indonesia has greatly benefited from the assistance received from the Agency. We look forward to further intensified cooperation through the Technical Cooperation programs and in the framework of Regiona1 Cooperative Agreements. I thank you, Mr. President.
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