Kathmandu, September 18

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali addressed the 62nd Regular Session of the General Conference of International Atomic Energy Agency as leader of the Nepali delegation to the conference in Vienna yesterday.

A press release issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, Vienna, said Gyawali reiterated Nepal’s strong commitment towards the principles of general and complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction, particularly chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear. He stated that nuclear science and technology should be used only for peaceful purposes within recognised safeguard frameworks of the IAEA and the international community should comply with such framework.

Minister Gyawali said Nepal valued its membership and partnership of the IAEA. He highlighted the IAEA’s contributions to innovation in medicine, energy and other industrial applications through the use of nuclear technology in countries such as Nepal.

He also underlined the importance of IAEA’s technical cooperation in areas of building national infrastructure for radiation safety, developing radiation health service infrastructure, improving crop yield for food security, and education in nuclear physics and chemistry, among others. Countries such as Nepal need enhanced support of the IAEA for properly utilising nuclear science and technology for development, building capacity, complying with the safeguard regime and ensuring safety and security of nuclear and radioactive materials, he said.

Minister Gyawali also held a meeting with Mary Alice Hayward, acting director general of the IAEA at the latter’s office. Issues pertaining to Nepal-IAEA cooperation were discussed in the meeting. Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Krishna Raj BC was also present in the meeting.