NZ ready to step up efforts, nuclear summit told

New Zealand has a low risk of being attacked by terrorists but has made substantial contributions to international efforts to counter terrorism and is prepared to step up its efforts, the Nuclear Security Summit was told.

The 47 countries at the summit in Washington DC have agreed to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism.

In its national statement, New Zealand told the summit it was a strong advocate for international instruments, obligations and commitments to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation framework.

New Zealand did not have a nuclear industry but had radiological material use similar to other developed nations, the statement said.

The national radiation authority was in "close contact" with major radiation users to ensure all material was accounted for.

New Zealand was also active internationally, working with Asia-Pacific partners, as a strong supporter of the International Atomic Energy Agency and G8 Global Partnership projects, among others.

"New Zealand stands ready to step up its efforts, in partnership with the nations gathered together in Washington, towards achievement of the goal of securing all nuclear materials within four years."

Prime Minister John Key today said aid the summit was a "crucial step forward" in reducing the global threat from nuclear terrorism.

New Zealand's participation in the summit underlined the contribution a small country could make, Mr Key said.

"New Zealand has long had an independent and principled voice on nuclear issues, and our anti-nuclear law is well known domestically and internationally."

New Zealand was also "committed to playing our part" to ensure the threat of nuclear terrorism was never realised.

In the American capital, Mr Key announced New Zealand's commitment to further funding of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the International Atomic Energy Agency's Nuclear Security Fund.

New Zealand has contributed almost $6 million to the global partnership since 2004.

Mr Obama called the summit to focus world attention on keeping dangerous materials out of terrorist hands.

The Obama administration submitted to Congress legislation to bring US laws into line with two treaties: one to crack down on potential nuclear terrorism and one on the physical protection of nuclear materials.

The US also committed to requesting an "advisory mission" from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to review physical security at a nuclear facility of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Officials from the US, Canada and Mexico announced an agreement to work together, along with the UN's nuclear watchdog agency, to convert the fuel in Mexico's research reactor from highly enriched uranium to a lower-enriched fuel that would be much harder to use in the manufacturing of a nuclear weapon.

Mexico further agreed that once the fuel is converted, it will get rid of all its highly enriched uranium.

That follows Ukraine's announcement that it, too, will ship all its highly enriched uranium to protected storage outside its borders.

Russia and the US will complete and operate facilities to dispose of at least 34 tonnes of plutonium by using it as fuel in civilian power reactors to produce electricity, although it will not start until 2018.

The summit countries said they would co-operate more deeply with the United Nations and its watchdog arm, the IAEA. They also said they would share information on nuclear detection and ways to prevent nuclear trafficking.

A follow-up nuclear security conference will be held in South Korea in 2012.

Mr Key now travels to Canada.

- NZPA