The leaders of more than 60 countries of the world gathered in Seoul, Republic of Korea on March 26-27, 2012, for the 2nd Nuclear Security Summit. This summit follows the 2010 Washington Nuclear Security Summit.
The objectives
To work toward strengthening nuclear security,
Reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism,
Preventing terrorists, criminals, or other unauthorized actors from acquiring nuclear materials.
Relevance
Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security. Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation given its potential global political, economic, social, and psychological consequences.
Further, noting the Fukushima accident of March 2011 and the nexus between nuclear security and nuclear safety, sustained efforts are required to address the issues of nuclear safety and nuclear security in a coherent manner that will help ensure the safe and secure peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Events like the Nuclear Security Summit provide an occasion to reaffirm the globally shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
This way, the Nuclear Security Summit is a valuable process at the highest political level.
The main points of the Communiqué
It is the fundamental responsibility of States to maintain effective security of all nuclear material, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons, and nuclear facilities under their control.
The States are also required to prevent non-state actors from acquiring such materials and from obtaining information or technology required to use them for malicious purposes.
It is also a fundamental responsibility of States to maintain effective security of other radioactive materials.
The measures to strengthen nuclear security will not hamper the rights of States to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Global Nuclear Security Architecture: There is an importance of multilateral instruments to address nuclear security. Such instruments include the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), as amended, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). The Summit calls for a universal adherence to these Conventions.
Role of the UN: The Summit acknowledges the important role of the United Nations (UN) in promoting nuclear security and supports the UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 and 1977 in strengthening global nuclear security.
On combating nuclear terrorism: The Summit recognized the contributions of international initiatives and processes such as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, within their respective mandates and memberships. It calls for a wider participation in the GICNT and the Global Partnership and value its extension beyond 2012.
Role of the IAEA: The Summit reaffirmed the essential responsibility and central role of the IAEA in strengthening the international nuclear security framework. It also recognized the value of the IAEA Nuclear Security Plan 2010-2013. The States agreed work to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to support the implementation of nuclear security objectives.
Nuclear Materials: Recognizing that highly enriched uranium (HEU) and separated plutonium require special precautions, the Summit reemphasized the importance of appropriately securing, accounting for and consolidating these materials.
Radioactive Sources: Taking into account that radioactive sources are widely used and can be vulnerable to malicious acts, the Summit urged States to secure these materials, while bearing in mind their uses in industrial, medical, agricultural and research applications.
Nuclear Security and Safety: Acknowledging that safety measures and security measures have in common the aim of protecting human life and health and the environment, the Summit affirmed that nuclear security and nuclear safety measures should be designed, implemented and managed in nuclear facilities in a coherent and synergistic manner. There is also a need to maintain effective emergency preparedness, response and mitigation capabilities in a manner that addresses both nuclear security and nuclear safety. In this regard, the Summit welcomed the efforts of the IAEA to organize meetings to provide relevant recommendations on the interface between nuclear security and nuclear safety so that neither security nor safety is compromised. It also welcomed the convening of the High Level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security initiated by the UN Secretary-General, held in New York on 22 September 2011.
Transportation Security: the States will continue efforts to enhance the security of nuclear and other radioactive materials while in domestic and international transport, and encourage States to share best practices and cooperate in acquiring the necessary technologies to this end.
Combating Illicit Trafficking: There is a need to develop national capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and prosecute illicit nuclear trafficking. In this regard, the Summit encourages action-oriented coordination among national capacities to combat illicit trafficking, consistent with national laws and regulations. The leaders have agreed work to enhance technical capabilities in the field of national inspection and detection of nuclear and other radioactive materials at the borders.
Nuclear Forensics: The Summit recognized that nuclear forensics could be an effective tool in determining the origin of detected nuclear and other radioactive materials and in providing evidence for the prosecution of acts of illicit trafficking and malicious uses. In this regard, the Summit encourages States to work with one another, as well as with the IAEA, to develop and enhance nuclear forensics capabilities.
Nuclear Security Culture: Recognizing that investment in human capacity building is fundamental to promoting and sustaining a strong nuclear security culture, the Summit encourages States to share best practices and build national capabilities, including through bilateral and multilateral cooperation
Information Security: The Summit recognized the importance of preventing non-state actors from obtaining information, technology or expertise required to acquire or use nuclear materials for malicious purposes, or to disrupt information technology based control systems at nuclear facilities. It therefore encourage States to: continue to develop and strengthen national and facility-level measures for the effective management of such information, including information on the procedures and protocols to protect nuclear materials and facilities; to support relevant capacity building projects; and to enhance cyber security measures concerning nuclear facilities, consistent with the IAEA General Conference Resolution on Nuclear Security.
International Cooperation: The Summit encourages all States to enhance their physical protection of and accounting system for nuclear materials, emergency preparedness and response capabilities and relevant legal and regulatory framework.
Further the nations agreed to continue to make voluntary and substantive efforts toward strengthening nuclear security and implementing political commitments made in this regard.
The next Nuclear Security Summit will be held in [the Netherlands] in 2014.
The objectives
To work toward strengthening nuclear security,
Reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism,
Preventing terrorists, criminals, or other unauthorized actors from acquiring nuclear materials.
Relevance
Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security. Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation given its potential global political, economic, social, and psychological consequences.
Further, noting the Fukushima accident of March 2011 and the nexus between nuclear security and nuclear safety, sustained efforts are required to address the issues of nuclear safety and nuclear security in a coherent manner that will help ensure the safe and secure peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Events like the Nuclear Security Summit provide an occasion to reaffirm the globally shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
This way, the Nuclear Security Summit is a valuable process at the highest political level.
The main points of the Communiqué
It is the fundamental responsibility of States to maintain effective security of all nuclear material, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons, and nuclear facilities under their control.
The States are also required to prevent non-state actors from acquiring such materials and from obtaining information or technology required to use them for malicious purposes.
It is also a fundamental responsibility of States to maintain effective security of other radioactive materials.
The measures to strengthen nuclear security will not hamper the rights of States to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Global Nuclear Security Architecture: There is an importance of multilateral instruments to address nuclear security. Such instruments include the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), as amended, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). The Summit calls for a universal adherence to these Conventions.
Role of the UN: The Summit acknowledges the important role of the United Nations (UN) in promoting nuclear security and supports the UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 and 1977 in strengthening global nuclear security.
On combating nuclear terrorism: The Summit recognized the contributions of international initiatives and processes such as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, within their respective mandates and memberships. It calls for a wider participation in the GICNT and the Global Partnership and value its extension beyond 2012.
Role of the IAEA: The Summit reaffirmed the essential responsibility and central role of the IAEA in strengthening the international nuclear security framework. It also recognized the value of the IAEA Nuclear Security Plan 2010-2013. The States agreed work to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to support the implementation of nuclear security objectives.
Nuclear Materials: Recognizing that highly enriched uranium (HEU) and separated plutonium require special precautions, the Summit reemphasized the importance of appropriately securing, accounting for and consolidating these materials.
Radioactive Sources: Taking into account that radioactive sources are widely used and can be vulnerable to malicious acts, the Summit urged States to secure these materials, while bearing in mind their uses in industrial, medical, agricultural and research applications.
Nuclear Security and Safety: Acknowledging that safety measures and security measures have in common the aim of protecting human life and health and the environment, the Summit affirmed that nuclear security and nuclear safety measures should be designed, implemented and managed in nuclear facilities in a coherent and synergistic manner. There is also a need to maintain effective emergency preparedness, response and mitigation capabilities in a manner that addresses both nuclear security and nuclear safety. In this regard, the Summit welcomed the efforts of the IAEA to organize meetings to provide relevant recommendations on the interface between nuclear security and nuclear safety so that neither security nor safety is compromised. It also welcomed the convening of the High Level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security initiated by the UN Secretary-General, held in New York on 22 September 2011.
Transportation Security: the States will continue efforts to enhance the security of nuclear and other radioactive materials while in domestic and international transport, and encourage States to share best practices and cooperate in acquiring the necessary technologies to this end.
Combating Illicit Trafficking: There is a need to develop national capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and prosecute illicit nuclear trafficking. In this regard, the Summit encourages action-oriented coordination among national capacities to combat illicit trafficking, consistent with national laws and regulations. The leaders have agreed work to enhance technical capabilities in the field of national inspection and detection of nuclear and other radioactive materials at the borders.
Nuclear Forensics: The Summit recognized that nuclear forensics could be an effective tool in determining the origin of detected nuclear and other radioactive materials and in providing evidence for the prosecution of acts of illicit trafficking and malicious uses. In this regard, the Summit encourages States to work with one another, as well as with the IAEA, to develop and enhance nuclear forensics capabilities.
Nuclear Security Culture: Recognizing that investment in human capacity building is fundamental to promoting and sustaining a strong nuclear security culture, the Summit encourages States to share best practices and build national capabilities, including through bilateral and multilateral cooperation
Information Security: The Summit recognized the importance of preventing non-state actors from obtaining information, technology or expertise required to acquire or use nuclear materials for malicious purposes, or to disrupt information technology based control systems at nuclear facilities. It therefore encourage States to: continue to develop and strengthen national and facility-level measures for the effective management of such information, including information on the procedures and protocols to protect nuclear materials and facilities; to support relevant capacity building projects; and to enhance cyber security measures concerning nuclear facilities, consistent with the IAEA General Conference Resolution on Nuclear Security.
International Cooperation: The Summit encourages all States to enhance their physical protection of and accounting system for nuclear materials, emergency preparedness and response capabilities and relevant legal and regulatory framework.
Further the nations agreed to continue to make voluntary and substantive efforts toward strengthening nuclear security and implementing political commitments made in this regard.
The next Nuclear Security Summit will be held in [the Netherlands] in 2014.
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