State Competent Authority and Sustainability of Safeguards System for Iraqi Facilities

Under the Constitution of Iraq and in implementing its commitments, the Law of National Monitoring Authority on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons No. (48) 2012, tasks the Iraqi National Monitoring Authority (INMA) with responsibility for the following: • Implementing and following up on Iraq's obligations related to bilateral, regional and international conventions and international resolutions relevant to non-proliferation of WMD; • Issuing and following up effective national procedures for inspection, verification and monitoring applicable for all governmental and non-governmental organizations; • Implementing export and import control measures and developing and maintaining a control list of materials and equipment consistent with relevant requirements of international export control regimes. Establishing a national database for these activities in coordination with international organizations to exchange data, serving national security interests; • Standing arrangements; • Conducting inspections, including collection, analysis and transfer of samples inside and outside Iraq; • Conventions and treaties that Iraq has signed, approved or has in process; and • National Procedures for the nuclear non-proliferation system in Iraq. INMA has responsibility for the application of safeguards in Iraq, including establishing a National System for Accounting and Monitoring Nuclear Materials to: • Identify nuclear material positions within and outside nuclear facilities under Iraq's safeguards system; • Provide official permissions to use nuclear source materials inside the nuclear facilities and outside nuclear facilities (universities, research centers); • Ensure efficient physical protection for the nuclear materials; and • Prepare design information for the nuclear facilities, identify and record types of containers and monitoring devices. INMA has issued a regulation for using, handling and transportation of nuclear material under safeguards and the Additional Protocol. It has established an information system for all nuclear activities and materials related to the non-proliferation regime. The Authority has identified locations and sites of relevance to Iraq's AP declaration, collected and prepared national lists and transferred all information to the relevant forms for reporting under the Additional Protocol. INMA is involved with arrangements for the prompt notification of losses, unauthorized use, and removal of nuclear material. The paper describes the role of the INMA in verification and the implementation status of UNSCR 1540 (2004). (author)