FOR PRESS:

STATEMENT BY TI- MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT THE HON. D.L. FAIRBAIRN, D.r .C. , I.P.

AUSTRALIAN AS CHAIRMAN OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

"It is gratifying for Australia and the Atomic Energy Commission that Sir Philip Baxter should have been selected to head the. Board of Governors of. the International Atomic Energy Agency for the next twelve months", the Minister for National Development, Mr Davoid. Fairbairn said today.

"This is a period of particular responsibility, since the structure of the Board itself - the principal governing body of the Agency - is being reviewed in the light of experience since the inception of the Agency twelve years ago. Twenty-five nations are represented on the Board, Australia having beeii

one of them since the beginning by virtue of its acknowledged position as the Member State most advanced in atomic energy in South-East Asia and the Pacific."

"Sir Philip Baxter is eminently well qualified to guide the Board in this delicate task," Mr Fairbairn added. "He has

had a long association with atomic energy in its administrative

as well as its scientific aspects, having been the first

Deputy Chairman of the Australian Atomic, Energy Commission, when it was founded in 1953. He became Chairman of the Commission

part--time in 1956, and full-time in July last. His international

reputation is of the highest. He has had close and detailed

experience of the-Agency -itself since ii.. was constituted in 1957,

and even before, he had been involved in the negotiations which led to its formation."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The International Atomic Energy Agency is an inter-governmental body formed of 102 Member States, designed to.

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"accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy

to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world"..

The Agency. is linked to the United Nations by a

relationship agreement, but retains independence in policy,

programming and budgetary matters.

The Agency was established as the result of a proposal

made by President Eisenhower to the General Assembly of the

United Nations in 11953. A negotiating group of S nations -including Australia - was formed to prepare a draft Statute.

Later, the group was enlarged to 12. '.Australia was also a

member of the Preparatory Commission which planned the organization

of the Agency, and has always been represented on the Board of

Governors. This Board normally holds three major meetings a

year. The General: Conference --o-f all Member States meets once

a year, and a staff of 1,000 under the Director-General carries

out the day-to-day Work.

The Agency has administered a broad training and

fellowship program, organised a series of specialised international

scientific conferences, developed a broad technical publications

program, helped to introduce atomic energy to the developing

nations with emphasis on technical assistance and the use of

atomic energy to solve local problems, such as improving rice

crop yields, or eradicating insect pests. Of particular value

to countries such as Australia, have been the Agency's activities

in codifying safety in the nuclear field; e.g., in the development

of regulations for the safe transport of radioactive materials,

the safe handling of radioisotopes, safety in the uranium mining

and milling industries, and so on.

CA\TBERIP,,A-

