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Interview: Int'l cooperation helps secure nuclear materials: IAEA official

Xinhua, March 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

With roughly 150 incidents logged each year of nuclear and other radioactive materials without regulatory control, better international cooperation can help secure these materials, a nuclear security expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"With our analysis of this database, we could conclude that there is a steady pattern of nuclear and other radioactive materials being out of regulatory control," said Khammar Mrabit, director of the Office of Nuclear Security of the International Association for Atomic Energy (IAEA).

The interview came at a time when the fourth Nuclear Security Summit is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., from March 31 to April 1.

Invited by U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the event.

Although many of the incidents are minor, some such as those involving high enriched uranium are serious, said Mrabit, a Moroccan with a PhD in nuclear physics who has worked for the IAEA since 1986.

Nuclear security is among the issues to be discussed at the "highest levels" at the upcoming summit, Mrabit said, adding that previous meetings have helped raise awareness of nuclear security and helped improve the situation in many countries.

It is anticipated that heads of state or government attending the international gathering will bring such "surprise" as new commitments to finally bring into effect an amendment made to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), he said.

The CPPNM, signed in Vienna and New York on March 3, 1980, is the only international legally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material.

A diplomatic conference was convened in July 2005 to amend the convention and strengthen its provisions. The amendment makes it legally binding for states parties to protect nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport.

It also provides for expanded cooperation between and among States regarding rapid measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear materials, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offenses.

The amendments will take effect once they have been ratified by two-thirds of the 152 states parties to the convention. However, only 91 have signed up to the amendment and a further 11 are needed for it to come into force, which, Mrabit said, could be a "milestone" for nuclear security if realized.

It's possible that the required number of states may come on board at the summit in March. If not, another opportunity will arise at the IAEA's own nuclear security conference to be held in Vienna in December.

"Nuclear security is a common good, it's good for everybody whether you have a nuclear power program or not. All countries have radioactive sources and such materials have to be protected," said Mrabit.

Nuclear security refers to protecting nuclear and radioactive materials from power stations and "from falling into the wrong hands, meaning criminals and terrorists," said Mrabit.

It is important to all countries because all of them use radioactive sources for medical purposes, he added. Endi