Nobel peace prize, Dr. Elbaradei and IAEA

Of course the most important task of the IAEA is to control the proliferation of the nuclear energy for destructive purposes, but in addition it has other important activities like in the field of health, food, agriculture and industry for the benefit of human beings. Its member states, including Bangladesh, are greatly benefited from the assistance of IAEA. Therefore, I wish to state that this organisation is not only the “Nuclear Watchdog”, but it has also an elaborate programme on various aspects to promote the peaceful application of nuclear energy as stipulated in its statute.

The IAEA, which came into being on 29 July, 1957, is an independent intergovernmental organisation within the United Nations System. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, the Agency has 138 Member States who together work to carry out the main objectives of IAEA Statute: The IAEA Statute states “The Agency shall seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health, and prosperity throughout the world and ensure so far as it is able that assistance provided by it, or at its request or under its supervision or control, is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose”. As per the Statute the Agency is authorised to encourage and assist research on the development and the practical application of atomic energy and make provisions for materials, services, equipment and facilities to meet the need of research on, and development and practical application of atomic energy, foster the exchange of scientific and technical information, establish and administer safeguards and establish and adopt standards of safety for the protection of health and minimisation of the danger of life and property.

It is evident from the statute that peaceful application means not in health, food and agriculture but in nuclear power as well. Currently over 30 countries have power reactors that supply electricity in their national grid. Among them France has the highest percentage (over 76%) of electricity in the national grid from its nuclear power reactors. In Asian region more than one third of electricity is supplied to the national grid of Japan and Republic of Korea by the nuclear power reactors. Both of them have more reactors under construction. Is it not a paradox that the only country which experienced the nuclear havoc and is in the forefront of the fight against nuclearisation for military purpose is also in the forefront of the peaceful application of nuclear energy? Because Japan has no other significant domestic commercial source of energy. Both for cost-benefits and environmental friendliness Japan and Korea opted for nuclear energy. Their nuclear reactors are under strict safeguard control of the Agency like other NPT signatory states. The Agency has a small office in Tokyo for this purpose.

The Nobel Committee's decision to award IAEA on the 60 years after the United States dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki shows that it thoroughly evaluated the mandates of this Nuclear Watchdog. Because the very word “atomic” or “nuclear” is perceived by a common man with atomic bomb, and atomic/nuclear power is definitely an evil thing. Therefore, the name International Atomic Energy Agency does not go well with the perception of the uninformed public, unlike the names of the sister organisations WHO, FAO and ILO or even the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) sharing the same building complex in UN City, Vienna, Austria. Most of the IAEA's lifetime Dr. Eklund and Dr. Blix persistently worked hard to uplift the image of the Agency through their unbiased approach on this subject resisting the influence of big powers. Their able successor Dr. ElBaradei along with his hard working, honest and earnest colleagues are continuing the same path that brought him and his organisation the greatest honour of today's world -- the Nobel Prize.

Dr. Hans Blix was in the helm of the affairs during the turbulent period of 1990 (Gulf War) and before and after the Iraq invasion by Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair; and as UN Chief Inspector he looked for the Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. Although from 1990s when his close associate and DDG of the IAEA late Professor Jefferero was in charge of the inspection in Iraq, after his retirement, Dr. Blix had all the results of inspection during his tenure as DG. As an informed person, he could not establish the claims of invaders that Saddam had WMD. He is a man of strong determination and will and maintained neutrality all through in spite of great pressure from USA. The mandated unbiased activities of the past and present DG and their staff members made the Nobel Committee's decision in favour of Dr. ElBaradei and his organisation.

Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei is a close associate (former director of IAEA) and an able successor of Dr. Blix. As the empty cries of Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair are being continued, they are exposed to the world community by the published report of Dr. Blix and by his personal appearance in media and the UN that till present WMD does not exists in Iraq. However, neither Dr. ElBaradei nor his colleagues get solace from this declaration. He is constantly standing on a thin rope, like his predecessors. Currently it appears that there is cooling down of pressure on him concerning nuclear issues of North Korea. North Korea has strong allies like China and Russia. Now Mr. Bush's pressure is faced by the DG concerning the nuclear issues in Iran. Finally Bush's European allies have joined in his chorus and currently India, supposed to be a spokesman of non-aligned nations and traditional friend of Iran stood behind the USA. Iran being the victim of injustice as per IAEA statute sees a ray of hope as Russia and China might stand by her. The next IAEA Board of Governors will decide whether to place the issue to Security Council for sanction against Iran. I could feel what is happening in Vienna at this moment. Although it rests on the members of the Board, it is Dr. ElBaradei who will have all the pressures and the agonies. The Nobel Committee has done a great service to this heavily pressurised low budgeted UN Organisation and its DG in awarding the Peace Prize which will give great inspiration to them.

I go a little back in the years following the dissolution of USSR in 1990. The new 14 states appeared from the former USSR in East Europe and Central Asia. They are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, of course in addition to Russia. With the exception of Azerbaijan, Moldova and Turkmenistan rest of the 11 states have nuclear activities including mining. They were not in safeguard and security position as prevailed in USSR period. The IAEA the only UN organisation mandated to look after all the nuclear and nuclear related activities around world had and has the sacred tasks assisting these states to control their nuclear reactors and materials and brought all the 14 states under its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) by 1997. Some internal conflicts are going on in some of the states.

International community is worried about trafficking nuclear materials and terrorism, particularly after the 9/11 attack on Twin Towers in New York. The IAEA organised a symposium on these subjects in November, 2001. Although it was planned well before 9/11, a special session on nuclear terrorism was held. As of 2002 the IAEA recorded 175 cases of illicit trafficking involving nuclear materials. In fact this area is the main thrust of the activities of IAEA. One could imagine how for last 60 years the IAEA is strenuously rendering its activities for the service of its member states. The IAEA is also the largest publisher of the technical materials in the UN system. The current recognition will go a long way giving inspiration and motivating its staff members in rendering enhanced services to its member states. I did not mention some nuclear accidents around the world, particularly the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor meltdown on 26 April, 1984. That mess was also successfully handled by the IAEA as per its mandate.

At the outset I have mentioned that IAEA supports a number of activities related to health, food, agriculture and industry. The IAEA is the only organisation in the UN system that financially supports research in nuclear science and technology through its coordinated research programmers directly awarding to the scientists of the member states after they are officially being processed, and runs a laboratory in Monaco and other in Seibersdorf, Austria to train scientists from developing countries and supports their activities. One of the important contributions in the health sector is the development of nuclear medicine in its developing member states. Bangladesh is greatly benefited by the IAEA's technical assistance through receiving fellowships for training, experts and equipment. These benefits, particularly in the field of nuclear medicine, have been extended by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission to the major cities and towns in the country. Processes for the preservation of food by radiation and sterilisation of medical supplies and products are also developed with the technical assistance of the IAEA. The processes have been tried in pilot scale successfully. They are waiting to be commercialised by private entrepreneurs.

Bangladesh is also reaping the benefits of the introduction of high yielding varieties of crops developed through low dose of radiation by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture in Mymensingh. A large portion of the HYV is developed throughout the world through mutation breeding with radiation. The FAO/IAEA Laboratory of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Seibersdorf, Austria is playing a pioneering role including research in molecular biology and biotechnology and giving short and long term training to developing country scientists. Non-destructive testing is a routine procedure to detect faults in gas lines such as in Titas Gas, steel mills, Bangladesh Biman, etc. BAEC has developed and perfected the technology and trained the technicians of the end users under the technical assistance of the IAEA. My above submission is to give a short account on the other activities of the Agency which is not normally covered by the media, in order to elucidate that in addition to control the spread of nuclear weapons and materials, IAEA is conducting commendable activities for the immediate benefits of human beings.

Bangladesh is a Member State of IAEA since 1972. She is participating in most of the activities of it relevant to our national interest. We are signatory to NPT, although our neighbours are not. We are also signatory to some of the other IAEA's treaties and agreements. It is evident from the above report that our programmes on the application of nuclear technology are heavily indebted to IAEA. The first computer in then Pakistan was established in 1964 in the campus of the Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka. The development of computer science is also supported by the Agency. We, the nuclear scientists of Bangladesh, should congratulate this outstanding and unique recognition of the Agency by the Nobel Committee, share joy with this Organisation and look forward to its continued assistance in the practical application of nuclear science and technology in Bangladesh.

Dr. Mainuddin Ahmed is a former professional staff member of the IAEA.