EU Statement on the Application of Safeguards in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as delivered at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on 8 March 2022
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement: Turkey§, the Republic of North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Iceland+, Liechtenstein+, Norway+, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and San Marino.
The EU, as a strong supporter of the international nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime, urges all parties to maintain a high level of engagement on this issue ahead of the upcoming Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The reoccurring indications of ongoing nuclear activities in the DPRK, following those reported by the IAEA Director General last year, are deeply troubling. UN Security Council resolutions make clear that the DPRK must abandon its existing nuclear programmes and immediately cease all related activities.
In particular, the DPRK’s assertion of its intent to further develop its nuclear weapons and their means of delivery at the 8th Party Congress last year and the suggestion in January 2022 that it may reconsider its moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons and longer-range ballistic missiles are deeply worrying. The launches of various types of ballistic missiles by the DPRK since September 2021 are in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Together with the launches of other and new types of missiles, they undermine regional and international peace and security. The EU strongly underlines that the actions taken by the DPRK cannot confer the status of a nuclear weapon State in accordance with the NPT or any special status whatsoever.
The EU urges the DPRK to take concrete steps towards abandoning its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, its ballistic missile programmes and other weapons of mass destruction in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner as required by the UN Security Council resolutions.
It is essential that the DPRK refrain from actions that undermine the prospects for resuming dialogue. We call on the DPRK to respond constructively to the readiness for dialogue expressed by the United States and to engage in meaningful discussions with all relevant parties to achieve lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
We urge the DPRK:
- to continue refraining from testing nuclear weapons and to immediately implement a full moratorium on all types of ballistic missile launches;
- to return to full compliance with its obligations under the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and to bring into force the Additional Protocol to that Agreement;
- to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
- and in this context, to abandon its delivery systems programmes.
Until the DPRK takes these concrete steps and comes into compliance with all relevant Security Council Resolutions, the EU and its Member States will continue to strictly enforce existing sanctions. We call on every UN Member State to fully and effectively implement international sanctions decided by the UN Security Council and address the risk of weapons of mass destruction proliferation from the DPRK as an urgent priority. It is important that all States uphold their international obligations and implement relevant sanctions by ensuring they do not trade with the DPRK in nuclear and ballistic missile technologies and other restricted commodities and services.
Mr. Chairman,
We reiterate our appreciation for the continued efforts of the IAEA's DPRK Team to monitor the nuclear situation in that country. Any verification efforts would benefit from technical assistance by the IAEA and, as appropriate, the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) and would need to take due account of non-proliferation requirements.
We strongly call on the DPRK to reengage in talks with the aim of reaching a political agreement that will serve as a basis for further steps towards the Agency's return to the DPRK.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, the IAEA General Conference decided that the IAEA should remain seized of the matter. The EU requests the Director General to keep the Board of Governors informed of this issue and to maintain this item on the agenda of its future meetings.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
§ Candidate Country
* Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania as well as potential Candidate Country Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
+ Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein are members of the EFTA and of the European Economic Area.