The regular meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency was held in Vienna from 18 to 22 November 2019. Hungary participated in the meeting as member of the Board of Governors. Highlights of the meeting included the 2020-2021 project cycle of the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, a report on the previous cycle, and Acting Director Cornel Feruta providing detailed information on IAEA inspections in Iran.
As regards Technical Cooperation,
two statements were made by Hungary. In connection with the 2018-2019 cycle,
we mentioned the nine regional technical cooperation events hosted by our
country, and the several scientific visitors from other countries the Hungarian
institutions received during this period. Talking about the next project
cycle, we emphasized the importance of projects aimed at improving nuclear
safety. Hungary also informed the Board about the new Hungarian national
project, which aims to contribute to enhancing patient care in diagnostic
radiology.
With regard to Iran, Acting
Director General, Cornel Feruta reiterated the importance of cooperation
and full compliance of obligations and gave a detailed account of the current
situation. Speaking about North Korea, he said that the IAEA would continue
to monitor the country's nuclear program on the basis of open source information
and satellite imagery, and reiterated his call on the country to cooperate
with the IAEA (the Agency’s inspectors were required to leave North Korea
in 2009). The Acting Director General renewed his call to Syria to cooperate
fully with the IAEA in connection with unresolved issues.
The next important event
is the extraordinary meeting of the IAEA General Conference on 2 December,
which approves the appointment of the new Director General, Rafael Grossi,
elected by the Board of Governors.