PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AND THE ROLE OF REGIONAL SAFEGUARDS SYSTEMS IN INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND CONFIDENCE - ONE PERSPECTIVE OF ABACC

摘要

Non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament are central issues surrounding the peaceful use ofnuclear energy. The expected expansion of nuclear energy to new countries and the reactivationof nuclear activities in those that have developed nuclear energy for peaceful uses over theyears, among other challenges, show the increasing importance of robust state and regionalsystems in international safeguards. The existence of good safeguards infrastructure in States,the added value of regional safeguards endeavours like ABACC, providing additionalconfidence and transparency about the peaceful nature of nuclear activities under its control, theexistence of a nuclear weapons free zone in Latin America3and the benefit of establishing aforum to exchange best practices among these systems under the auspices of the IAEA, seemimportant contributions to consider with special attention in the new safeguards era. Enhancingthe cooperation and dialogue among interested parties, especially between the IAEA, States andRegional arrangements is relevant for modern effective and efficient safeguards. ABACC is aregional safeguards organization established by Argentina and Brazil in conformity withnational and international laws as an independent entity to verify the States commitment ofexclusive peaceful purpose of their nuclear activities. This makes ABACC a uniqueorganization. The IAEA and ABACC have been working together in implementing goodsafeguards for almost twenty years, jointly with the existence of robust State systems in bothcountries in support of ABACC and IAEA’s activities and to fulfil their national objectives. Alot has been accomplished, but a lot more could be done to enhance the way they operate. Theconcept of “state level safeguards approach” should allow to consider new opportunities todeepen the two- way street cooperation. This paper discusses the contribution of a regionalsafeguards system like ABACC to the non-proliferation regime and to the peaceful use ofnuclear energy, and its role for more effective and efficient international safeguards. The paperalso examines ABACC in promoting exchange of good practices and lessons learnt and whetherthis regional system together with Argentina and Brazil state authorities may expand this activityfurther in the Latin America region and internationally.