THE HON. ANDREW PEACOCK M.P. 18 January 1978

CANADA/EURATOM AGREEMENT

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrew Peacock,   today welcomed the Canada/EURATOM nuclear co-operation  agreement which was concluded in Brussels on 16 January.

"This updates safeguards arrangements between  Canada and EURATOM and marks the successful conclusion of  a very lengthy and difficult negotiation during which  Canada, in January of last year,  had suspended the export

of uranium to the EURATOM countries. The agreement reflects  Canada's leading role in international efforts to strengthen  safeguards arrangements and its ability to play this role  effectively as a major exporter of uranium," Mr Peacock said.

The Minister pointed out that the new agreement  contains stringent safeguards. It includes provisions:

- that no material subject to the agreement may '  be used for the manufacture of any nuclear weapon  or for any other military use of nuclear energy  or for the manufacture of any other nuclear

explosive device:

- that this undertaking and other provisions of  the agreement will be verified in Canada by  the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)  and in the Community by EURATOM and the IAEA  in accordance with the agreements concluded  between EURATOM, its member states and the IAEA:

- for interim arrangements reserving Canada's position  on high enrichment and reprocessing pending .  conclusion of the International Nuclear Fuel  Cycle Evaluation.

As well there are provisions on physical protection and  fallback safeguards.

The Minister commented that many provisions of the  new agreement are in line with Australian safeguards requireÂ­ ments and that it would obviously be important to the  negotiations which Australia will be having in due course  with major potential customers. The agreement also

demonstrates that stringent nuclear safeguards of the  kind Australia is seeking to enforce are finding acceptance  in the international community.

