Statement by Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty Governor of the Republic of South Africa at the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 23 November 2006

Agenda item 4 (d): Nuclear Verification Report by the Director General on the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Chairperson,

My delegation associates itself with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement on this agenda item.

We thank the Director General for his report on the "Implementation of NPT Safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran", as contained in document GOV/2006/64, and commend the Director General and the Department for Safeguards for their dedication and commitment to clarify the remaining safeguards issues relevant to Iran's peaceful nuclear programme.

My delegation has noted the co-operation extended by the Iranian authorities to the Director General and his staff, in particular in providing the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and facilities and in providing the required reports in connection with these facilities. We also welcome the new information provided by the Director General this morning that Iran has agreed that the Agency can take further environmental samples from equipment at a technical university, and also to provide access to the operating records at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant.

Chairperson,

South Africa, however, notes with concern from the Director General's report that there remains very little progress in solving the outstanding safeguards issues. My delegation is particularly disappointed to note that no further progress has been made by the Agency in its efforts to verify the correctness and completeness of Iran's declarations, which would enable it to confirm the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.

South Africa supports the Agency's conclusion that in order to make further progress in verifying the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, there is a need for Iran to address the outstanding issues, including through implementation of the Additional Protocol and by providing the necessary transparency.

South Africa notes the Director General's appeal to Iran to review its decision to limit co-operation with the Agency, and encourages Iran to take the necessary steps to accelerate co-operation with the Agency, so that through the necessary transparency the outstanding issues can be resolved as soon as possible. South Africa also calls upon those third parties, whose co-operation is essential in providing the necessary information that would contribute to the Agency's efforts in its investigation of the issues relevant to Iran's nuclear activities, to enhance their co-operation.

Irrespective of the involvement of other organs of the United Nations in the issue of Iran's nuclear programme, the IAEA remains the sole competent authority responsible for verifying and assuring, in accordance with its Statute, Iran's compliance with its safeguards agreement. In this regard, the Board has its own responsibility and if we are to preserve the integrity, authority and credibility of the Board and the Agency to confirm the peaceful nature of nuclear programmes, there rests a responsibility on all of us to fully co-operate with the Agency in a pro-active and prompt manner. We cannot in any way abdicate the responsibility that rests with the Board of Governors.

Chairperson,

South Africa strongly believes that we cannot afford a further major crisis in a region of high tension, conflict and instability and a general lack of security, as well as massive suffering on the part of ordinary citizens.

We believe that all parties concerned must accelerate their co-operation and exercise maximum restraint and show the necessary flexibility, to enable any differences to be resolved without the need to resort to confrontation and coercive measures. It is our hope that all will act in a manner that would build the necessary trust and confidence to normalize this complex matter. We therefore encourage dialogue and negotiations between the parties so as to resolve all outstanding issues.

The Board will have to remain seized of this matter and honourably discharge the Agency's responsibilities.

Thank you, Chairperson.