G8 Report of the Nuclear Safety and Security Group
General Note
The nations now forming the G8 have initiated and monitored major national and international programs to resolve urgent nuclear safety and security needs and to establish partnership relations on this issues. Nuclear conventions and associated peer reviews in the field of safety, effective national regulatory infrastructures, current nuclear safety standards and security guidelines as well as review services under the IAEA constitute important prerequisites for the world's community to establish a global nuclear safety and security regime.
We welcome the summary report of the Review meeting of the Joint Convention (15-24 May 2006) and the conclusions herewith contained.
We call upon all States to become parties, as soon as practicable, to the two most recent universal instruments to combat nuclear terrorism; namely, the International Convention for the Suppression of Act of nuclear Terrorism, adopted at New York, 13 April 2005, and the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, adopted at Vienna, 8 July 2005.
We note the results of the IAEA International Conference "Effective Nuclear Regulatory Systems" held in Moscow, the Russian Federation, 27 February - 3 March 2006. An effective, efficient nuclear regulatory system is essential for our safety and security. We re-affirm the importance for national regulators to have sufficient authority, independence, and competence.
Chernobyl
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the accident in Chernobyl NPP. This accident became a crucial point of large-scale re-evaluation of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) safety issues, identification of new approaches to safety culture and further development of international cooperation on nuclear safety. The International Community continues to undertake joint efforts with Ukraine on construction of Chernobyl NPP on-site facilities aimed at improving its safety.
As the G8 group of nations we will continue to support measures to enhance nuclear safety, security and regulatory best practices to avoid reoccurrence of such an accident.
Out of the numerous bilateral governmental and non-governmental efforts and initiatives amounting to several billion US$, we note that the G8 nations together with the European Union and other donors, through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have pledged funds to implement safety and security projects at the Chernobyl site through the Nuclear Safety Account and the Chernobyl Shelter Fund.
We remain resolute in our undertakings to Ukraine, both within the framework of EBRD programmes and under former G7 summit declarations and memoranda of understanding, that we have and will continue to support the work on a New Safe Confinement and necessary pre-decommissioning activities in respect of radioactive waste treatment and spent fuel based on fair burden sharing. At the same time we appreciate the progress achieved in the course of stabilisation of existing confinement. We reassert our confidence in the EBRD to administer the funds that have been donated under both the Chernobyl Shelter Fund and the Nuclear Safety Account. We urge the Government of Ukraine in collaboration with EBRD, to take all necessary measures to assist in timely and efficient implementation of these programmes within the agreed frameworks.
Radioactive Sources
At Evian, we resolved to improve controls on radioactive sources and to prevent their unauthorized use. We have made much progress and have expressed a commitment to fulfill the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources provisions and are working to put into place the controls over the import/export of radioactive sources at the earliest possible date.
We welcome the fact that more than 83 countries have committed to implement the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and urge all other states to adopt the Code.
We welcome the adoption by consensus by the UNGA of resolution 60/73 on the prevention of the risk of radiological terrorism.
We will continue to support international efforts to enhance regulatory controls on radioactive sources, in particular the Regional Model Projects, the IAEA program to help establish effective and sustainable regulatory infrastructures.
We will continue to strengthen our cooperation to improve the security of radioactive sources worldwide.
Armenia Nuclear Power Plant
We, as members of the G-8, urge Armenia to fund and undertake upgrades necessary to ensure that ANPP can operate in a safe manner until it can be shut down and decommissioned.
We take note of some short-term safety measures already undertaken by Armenia as a first step.
Since only limited donor funding is likely to be provided for some urgent safety upgrades and for the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, we urge Armenia 1) to prepare and implement a systematic and comprehensive safety upgrading program, 2) to provide ANRA with the required human and financial resources and the necessary degree of authority, competence and independence to enable it to carry out an effective and efficient regulatory program consistent with international standards and 3) to establish in the near future decommissioning fund sufficient to meet closure perspectives.