Opening statement [International safeguards symposium on addressing verification challenges]

Mr. N.J. Nicholas, Vice President of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) which, along with the European Safeguards Research and Development Association, is cooperating with the IAEA to organize this international safeguards symposium IAEA's Director General ElBaradei and the entire IAEA for both their tremendous accomplishments and their much deserved recognition by the Nobel Committee. He continued to state that for the international community, working to stem the proliferation of nuclear weapons must rank among the highest priorities. To meet current and future challenges, one must first understand the emerging threats, then develop new tools and verification techniques to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, and finally discover new approaches to problems that extend beyond the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The INMM's purpose is to provide a global forum to explore and understand challenges to nuclear materials management in this changing environment. Member of the INMM spearhead advances in nuclear materials management and disseminate best practices in nuclear safeguards and security. The international community should sharpen its focus more than ever on strengthening international safeguards