IAEA Board of Governors Meeting, Agenda Item 6(a): The Conclusion of Safeguards Agreements and of Additional Protocols

U.S. statement as delivered by Ambassador Jackie Wolcott
Vienna, Austria

Madam Chair,

The United States welcomes the actions of Eritrea towards the conclusion of their Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, modified Small Quantities Protocol and Additional Protocol and encourages Eritrea to bring these agreements into force expeditiously.

We urge states that have not fulfilled their obligation under the NPT to take steps to expedite the conclusion and entry into force of their comprehensive safeguards agreements without delay. We further call upon all states that have not yet done so to bring an Additional Protocol into force. The combination of a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and an Additional Protocol represents the de facto standard for achieving the safeguards objectives of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to provide assurances that all nuclear material is under safeguards. Where applicable, we also urge states to modify their Small Quantities Protocol or, if they have made the decision to construct a nuclear facility, to rescind their Small Quantities Protocol altogether.

Thank you Madam Chair.