Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Chairwoman's Summing-up Statement of the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting Concerning the Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran

June 19, 2003

On June 19 (local time), at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors Meeting, the Chairwoman's Summing-up Statement concerning the Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran was announced. The Government of Japan appreciates the IAEA Secretariat's efforts concerning the nuclear issues of Iran, and also regards it important that the international community expressed its concern as a unanimous message about the Iranian nuclear issues at the Meeting.
In the Chairwoman's Summing-up Statement, as the broad sense of the IAEA Board, the Board shares the concern expressed by the Director General regarding Iran's past failures to report as required by the safeguards agreement, urges Iran promptly to rectify all safeguards problems, and encourages Iran to refrain from introducing nuclear material at the uranium pilot enrichment plant, as a confidence-building measure until the outstanding issues are resolved. In the Statement, while referring to the Director General's introductory statement mentioning the necessity of environmental sampling, the Board also urges Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA in its verification activities and to promptly and unconditionally conclude and implement an additional protocol.
The Government of Japan, as a responsible member of the Board of Governors of the IAEA, will continue to urge Iran to take the international community's concern seriously, cooperate fully with the IAEA in order to get rid of the international concern and enhance transparency in its nuclear activities through its prompt and unconditional conclusion and full implementation of an additional protocol and other measures.

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