Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office Annual Report 2000-2001

During the year steady progress was made by Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) in developing the concepts, methods and skills required by the IAEA for implementing strengthened safeguards, and integrated safeguards were introduced for the first time, in Australia. At the end of the reporting period, strengthened safeguards had been brought into effect in 20 states, and also in Taiwan, China. Although the rate of ratifications is slower than one would wish, work is proceeding in a large number of states on the necessary legislation and administrative arrangements a further 37 states had signed, but not yet ratified. Additional Protocols accepting strengthened safeguards so strengthened safeguards can now be seen as representing the safeguards norm. ASNO has been working with the IAEA on strengthened safeguards measures for some years, and in 2001 this culminated in Australia becoming the first country to qualify for implementation of integrated safeguards. ASNO's efforts also included a major contribution to the work of SAGSI (the Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation, a group of international experts advising the IAEA Director General), and a Support Program providing assistance to the IAEA in areas such as safeguards R and D. This year ASNO and DFAT made substantial progress on four new safeguards agreements: with Argentina, the Czech Republic and Hungary, and with the United States covering uranium supply to Taiwan. Over the past 12 months, ASNO has strengthened its role as the provisional CTBT national authority. It has enhanced its relationship with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission and its Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) in Vienna. During the year three Australian monitoring stations were certified by the PTS as part of the MS, including a primary seismological station in Warramunga, Northern Territory, and two radionuclide stations located in Melbourne and Perth. At the time of writing, Australia has the greatest number of certified DVIS stations of any country. The hydrophone array associated with the Cape Leeuwin hydroacoustic station was installed in March 2001. Following resolution of land tenure issues, ASNO expects that this station will be completed soon, with certification by the PTS expected in 2001-02. ASNO has made a major contribution to the development of verification procedures for the CTBT's On-site Inspection mechanism