PROGRAMME

PDFs of presentations: Technical Review of Fuel Assurance Proposals - Chaim Braun Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Technical Issues - Per Brunzell Regional Approaches: Cooperation for Energy Security - Arturas Dainius Assurances of Supply - Brazilian utility perspective - Leonam dos Santos Guimarães Strategy on Supply Assurance: The Perspective of Japanese Nuclear Industry - Takuya Hattori Legal Issues Connected with International Assurances of Nuclear Supply: Comments from a state perspective - Nobert Pelzer Statement By Ms Buyelwa Sonjica - Minister of Minerals and Energy of the Republic of South Africa The Twin Challenges of Abandant Nuclear Energy Supply and Proliferation Risk Reduction - A View - A Kakodkar A Nuclear Fuel Producer s Perspective on Assurance of Supply Initiatives - George Assie Nuclear Non-proliferation and International Uranium Enrichment Centre - Sergy Ruchkin Fuel Cycle at NPP Paks - Géza Pekárik Assurances of Supply and Non-Proliferation Roles of the IAEA - Johan Rautenbach Reflections on Perspectives of a Peaceful Nuclear Power - Graham Allison Report of the Chairman of the Special Event - Charles Curtis Short-term Steps on Multinational Fuel Cycle Arrangements: Screening Through the Proposals - Herald Mueller Future Directions - Richard J.K. Stratford Assurances of Supply and Non-Proliferation - talk by Chairman of the AREVA Executive Board. - Anne Lauvergeon

	Objective		Distribution of Documents
	Context		Registration
	Background		Participation
	Format		Funding
	Programme		Exhibits
	Working Language		Special Event Points of Contact

Objective :

The objective of this Special Event is to stimulate discussion on the recent new approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle, with a view to developing the outlines of a “new framework”, as noted by the Director General, focusing in the first instance on “assurances of supply and assurances of non-proliferation” and to identifying the next steps for the near- to mid-term.

Context :

Speaking to the Board of Governors in March 2006, the Director General stated that during the 2006 session of the Agency’s General Conference, the Secretariat intends to hold a Special Event focused on “…aspects of a potential ‘new framework’ that would facilitate safety, security and proliferation resistance in the future utilization of nuclear energy”.

Background :

See attached “Background” text at the end of this announcement.

Format :

Keynotes, presentations and panel discussions on legal, policy, technical and related issues, including Q&A, followed by summations by Session Chairpersons. Overall summary prepared by the Chairperson of the Special Event, based on the proceedings, to be presented to the 50th regular session of the IAEA General Conference.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 19 September 2006

Opening / Keynotes

IAEA Director General
Ministerial Level Statements
Specially Invited Speakers

Session 1. Current Proposals for Nuclear Energy Security

• Multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle – IAEA Expert Group report
• International nuclear fuel cycle centres – Russian Federation
• Mechanism for reliable access to nuclear fuel – United States of America
• IAEA administered nuclear fuel reserve – Nuclear Threat Initiative
• Security of nuclear fuel supply – uranium enrichment services – Enrichment Industry
• Regional approaches: cooperation for energy security – Baltic States
  

Wednesday, 20 September 2006

Session 2.A: Frameworks for Assurances of Supply: Institutional Perspectives

• Assessment of current proposals on assurances of nuclear fuel supply
• Assurances of fuel fabrication: technical and institutional issues
• Utility/buyer perspectives
• Perspectives of recipient States

Session 2. B: Frameworks for Assurances of Supply: Technical and Legal Arrangements

• Technical issues related to nuclear fuel banks
• Roles of the Agency
• Release of nuclear material
• National legislation

Thursday, 21 September 2006

Session 3. Findings, Conclusions and Future Directions

• Findings
• Conclusions
• Road map for future work

WORKING LANGUAGE

The working language of the Conference will be English. All communications sent to the IAEA must therefore be in English.

DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS

A preliminary programme of the Special Event will be available on the IAEA web portal: www.iaea.org. The final programme will be posted on-line closer to the event.

REGISTRATION

The Participation Form ( PDF, DOC ) needs to be duly completed and - for registration purposes - either sent to a.mckay@iaea.org or is to be faxed to the following fax number at the IAEA:

+43 1 2600 29325

PARTICIPATION

Participation is open on an individual and institutional basis to those with relevant expertise and experience in issues related to the nuclear fuel cycle. The IAEA cannot assume any financial obligations in connection with participation.

FUNDING

Funding support is not available for this Special Event. There is no registration fee for participants.

EXHIBITS

Limited space will be available for commercial vendors’ displays/exhibits during the Special Event. Interested parties should contact Ms. Myriam Obauer, IAEA Division of Conference and Document Services, Tel: +43-1-2600-21323; M.Obauer@iaea.org.

SPECIAL EVENT POINTS OF CONTACT

Scientific Secretary

Mr. Tariq Rauf
Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination
Tel: +43 1 2600-22706; T.Rauf@iaea.org

Communications, Assistance and Administration

Ms. Evren Sarac
Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination
Tel: +43-1-2600-21253; E.Sarac@iaea.org

Ms. Elena Bergo
Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination
Tel: +43-1-2600-22706; E.Bergo@iaea.org
Fax: +43-1-2600-29785

Event Organization

Mr. Andrew McKay
Conference Services Section, IAEA Division of Conference and Document Services
Tel: +43 1 2600-21312; A.Mckay@iaea.org
Fax: +43-1-2600-29325

Exhibits

Ms. Myriam Obauer
Conference Services Section, IAEA Division of Conference and Document Services
Tel: +43-1-2600-21323; M.Obauer@iaea.org

Background

A number of suggestions have been put forward over the last few years regarding new approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle and, more specifically, in connection with the assurance of supply of enriched uranium and associated access to reactor technology. Recent developments in this regard include:

• An independent international Expert Group on Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (MNA) was established at the IAEA in 2004. This expert group included participants from 26 countries, who examined the nuclear fuel cycle and multinational approaches. The Group’s report was circulated to all IAEA Member States as INFCIRC/640 and distributed at the May 2005 Review Conference of the 189 States party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The report of the Expert Group outlined five approaches to strengthen controls over fuel enrichment, reprocessing, spent fuel repositories and spent fuel storage, including: “Developing and implementing international supply guarantees with IAEA participation. Different models should be investigated, notably with the IAEA as guarantor of service supplies, e.g. as administrator of a fuel bank….”
  
• The Report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, of December 2004, recommended inter alia that an arrangement be set up based on the IAEA Statute, which would enable the Agency to act as a guarantor for the supply of fissile material to civilian nuclear users. The April 2005 Report of the Secretary-General, for decision by Heads of State and Government in December 2005, entitled “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development. Security and Human Rights for All”, also proposed, inter alia, that States should be guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel at market rates for peaceful purposes with the IAEA acting as a guarantor.
  
• The Conference on Multilateral Approaches for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, held in Moscow in July 2005, considered assurances of supply of nuclear fuel cycle services together with assurances of non-proliferation.
  
• At the IAEA General Conference in 2005 (GC49) several Member States addressed the issue of MNAs. The USA announced that it would make available 17.4 metric tonnes of high enriched uranium (HEU) to be down-blended as fuel and used as part of a fuel bank under an assurance of supply scheme. Later in 2005, the USA together with France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom initiated discussions on a proposal for establishing a mechanism for reliable access to nuclear fuel.
  
• In January 2006, Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined a proposal to create a system of international centres providing nuclear fuel cycle services, including enrichment, on a non-discriminatory basis and under the control of the IAEA.
  
• The USA announced its Global Nuclear Energy Partnership in February 2006 that will, inter alia, along with international partners develop a fuel services programme to supply developing nations with reliable access to nuclear fuel in exchange for a commitment to forgo the development of enrichment and recycling technologies.
  
• In June 2006, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America circulated a proposal entitled: “Concept for a Multilateral Mechanism for Reliable Access to Nuclear Fuel”.
  
• Speaking to the Board of Governors in March 2006, the Director General stated that during the 2006 session of the Agency’s General Conference, the Secretariat intends to hold a Special Event focused on “…aspects of a potential ‘new framework’ that would facilitate safety, security and proliferation resistance in the future utilization of nuclear energy” (GC50 Special Event).