Nuclear Nonproliferation and Safety: Concerns With the International Atomic Energy Agency's Technical Cooperation Program
RCED-97-192
Published: Sep 16, 1997. Publicly Released: Sep 16, 1997.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined: (1) the purpose and effectiveness of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) technical cooperation program; (2) the cost of U.S. participation in IAEA's technical cooperation program; and (3) whether the United States ensures that the activities of IAEA's technical cooperation program do not conflict with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| To assist the Congress in making future decisions about the continued U.S. funding of IAEA's technical cooperation program, the Congress may wish to require that the Secretary of State periodically report to it on any inconsistency between IAEA's technical assistance projects and U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals. |
Closed – Implemented
|
H.R. 3743 was introduced in the House International Relations Committee to require this, as well as the other actions GAO recommended, by the Department of State. H.R. 3743 was passed by the House on August 3, 1998, by a vote of 404 to 13. |
| If the Congress wishes to make known that the United States does not support IAEA's technical assistance projects in countries of concern, as defined by section 307(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and related appropriations provisions, it could explicitly require that the State Department withhold a proportional share of its voluntary funds to IAEA that would otherwise go to these countries. |
Closed – Implemented
|
See comments on previous recommendation. The Congress also has acted on the recommendation regarding withholding a proportional share of its voluntary funds to the International Atomic Energy Agency for Cuba. Similar legislation is pending regarding Iran. When this legislation is enacted, GAO will close this recommendation. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should direct the U.S. interagency group on technical assistance, in consultation with the U.S. representative to IAEA, to systematically review all proposed technical assistance projects in countries of concern, as covered by section 307(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and related appropriations provisions, before the projects are approved by IAEA's Board of Governors, to determine whether the proposed projects are consistent with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals. |
Closed – Implemented
In a June 18, 1998, a letter responding to the report's recommendations, the Department of State stated that it concurred with the recommendations and, as a result, had recently reformed the Subcommittee on Technical Programs and Cooperation, an interagency committee which evaluates proposed technical assistance projects by IAEA member states.
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| International Nuclear Technology Liaison Office | If U.S. officials find that any projects are inconsistent with these goals, the U.S. representative to IAEA should make the U.S. objections known to IAEA and monitor the projects in these countries. |
Closed – Implemented
In its June 18, 1998, response to the report's recommendations, the Department of State further stated that when nonproliferation concerns about IAEA's technical assistance projects are identified, the United States will make these known to IAEA.
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Topics
Energy researchForeign technical aidInternational cooperationInternational organizationsNuclear energyNuclear facility safetyNuclear proliferationTechnology transferHomeland securityTechnical assistance