The Seventh Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP-VII)

January 17, 2011
Japanese

Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the Seventh Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP-VII) on Monday, January 17 at the Mita Kaigisho (Mita Conference Hall) in Tokyo. Senior level government officials in charge of non-proliferation policies from the ASEAN member countries, Australia, Canada, China, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United States, and Japan, the host, participated in the meeting.
The main points of the Talks were as follows:

(1) Participants exchanged views on: how to prevent proliferation-sensitive transfers based on the current efforts by the international community; domestic measures taken by countries in accordance with the relevant frameworks or arrangements; and real cases of prevention of proliferation-sensitive transfer.

(2) Participants discussed how to implement the Action Plan in the Final Document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference held last May, focusing mainly on its non-proliferation part, inter alia, promoting the conclusion of Additional Protocols with the IAEA to strengthen safeguards measures and the export controls of proliferation-sensitive items etc.

(3) Participants also exchanged views on the implementation of IAEA safeguards necessary for the introduction of nuclear power plants, bearing in mind the continued worldwide expansion of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Following the Talks, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Hisashi TOKUNAGA hosted a reception, in which participants continued their discussions with the non-proliferation experts of Japan. ASTOP provides a rare and precious opportunity for all senior officials from Asian countries to converge and exchange their information and views on non-proliferation issues in a comprehensive manner.

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