IAEA
- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
News: Iran makes sweeping pledge of
cooperation to IAEA before board meeting
What's
in the news?
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Iran has given sweeping assurances to the
U.N. nuclear watchdog that it will finally assist a long-stalled investigation
into uranium particles found at undeclared sites and even re-install removed
monitoring equipment.
IAEA:
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The International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) is an international organization
that seeks to promote the peaceful use
of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including
nuclear weapons.
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As the pre-eminent nuclear watchdog under the UN, the IAEA is entrusted with the task
of upholding the principles of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1970.
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It was established as an autonomous
organisation on July 29, 1957, at the height of the Cold War between the U.S.
and the Soviet Union.
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Though established independently of the UN
through its own international treaty, the agency reports to both the UN General Assembly and the UNSC.
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It's headquarters located in Vienna, Austria.
Members:
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The IAEA has 171 member states. Most UN members and the Holy See are Member
States of the IAEA.
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Non-member states - Cape Verde (2007),
Tonga (2011), Comoros (2014) and Gambia (2016) have been approved for
membership and will become a Member State if they deposit the necessary legal
instruments.
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Four states have withdrawn from the IAEA:
North Korea, Nicaragua, Honduras & Cambodia.
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India
is a member state.
Mandate:
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Promotes development of peaceful applications of nuclear technology.
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Provide international safeguards against
misuse of nuclear technology and nuclear materials.
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Promote
nuclear safety (including radiation protection) and
nuclear security standards and their implementation.
What
are its safeguards?
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Safeguards are activities by which the
IAEA can verify that a state is living up to its international commitments not
to use nuclear programmes for nuclear-weapons purposes.
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Safeguards are based on assessments of the
correctness and completeness of a state’s declared nuclear material and
nuclear-related activities.
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Verification
measures include on-site inspections, visits, and ongoing
monitoring and evaluation.
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Basically, two sets of measures are
carried out in accordance with the type of safeguards agreements in force with
a state.
○
One set relates to verifying state reports of declared nuclear material and
activities.
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Another set enables the IAEA not only to
verify the non-diversion of declared
nuclear material but also to provide assurances as to the absence of undeclared
nuclear material and activities in a state.