The international remote monitoring project and implications

Becoming aware of the significant changes of the past several years and their effect on the expectations to international safeguards, it is necessary to reflect on which direction the development of nuclear safeguards in a new era needs to take. The time-proven monitoring techniques, based on quantitative factors and demonstrated universal application, have shown their merit. However, the new expectations suggest a possibility that a future IAEA safeguards system could rely more heavily on the value of a comprehensive, transparent, and open implementation regime. Within such a regime, the associated measures need to be determined and technological support identified. This paper will identify proven techniques which, with appropriate implementation support, could most quickly make available additional measures for a comprehensive, transparent and open implementation regime. In particular, it will examine the future of remote monitoring in International Safeguards, and provide an update on the International Remote Monitoring Project and related implications. (author)