Move to control radioactive items

Seoul:  General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, announced UAE's contribution of $1 million (Dh3.67 million) towards the expansion and enhancement of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL), and the hosting in October 2013, of an international conference on strategies and techniques for maintaining continuous control of radioactive sources throughout their life cycle.

Shaikh Mohammad in a statement reiterated that threats related to nuclear security, including the possibility of nuclear terrorism, cannot be seen as specific to any single country, but must be understood as a common threat to all nations of the world.

Shaikh Mohammad called for international cooperation to help put in place the global infrastructure and human capacity needed to ensure the highest standards of nuclear security in all countries.

He stressed the important and pivotal role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in promoting nuclear security.

Shaikh Mohammad also announced two initiatives. First, the UAE will join with other nations in contributing to the expansion and enhancement of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL).

And second, the UAE would host an international conference on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), focused on strategies and techniques for maintaining continuous control of radioactive sources throughout their life cycle.

The conference will be hosted in the UAE from October 27-31, 2013.

The opening session was also attended by members of UAE delegation including Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister.

Later, Shaikh Mohammad met Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and reviewed means of boosting relations of joint cooperation in a manner that realises the aspirations of the leaderships of the two countries.

Welcome note

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak's in his speech at the summit said: "I would like to extend, on behalf of the Korean government and its people, a most heartfelt welcome to all of you who are here attending the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit."

He said: "Maintaining peace and security for humankind is a solemn duty that we all assume. Yet, as you are all too well aware, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear terrorism pose a grave challenge to peace and security."

"We have a long, arduous road ahead of us. Nevertheless, we can realise our dream if we, the leaders here today, bring together our collective political will," Lee asserted.