Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at 2nd Nuclear Security Summit, Seoul, ROK, 27 March 2012, at Plenary Sessions on "National Measures and International Cooperation to Enhance Nuclear Security, Including Future Commitments"

1.     I would like to thank President Lee Myung-bak for his kind hospitality and excellent arrangements of this conference.

2.     Singapore is neither a nuclear power nor a user of nuclear energy. Nevertheless, nuclear security and safety are important to Singapore. We are a small, densely-populated island. Any nuclear or radiological incident, even a small one, would be a major disaster for us. We are also an international hub. Our economy, trade and security can easily be affected by a nuclear accident elsewhere.

3.     Hence Singapore contributes actively to nuclear security. Singapore fully implements our international obligations under the various UN Security Council Resolutions. We are active in counter-proliferation initiatives such as the Container Security Initiative and Proliferation Security Initiative. We work closely with other countries to combat illicit trafficking and establish a robust export control regime. Since the inaugural NSS, we have also joined the IAEA's Illicit Trafficking Database and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

4.     International cooperation is essential to promote and preserve nuclear security. Individual countries have to take actions but these actions have to fit within a comprehensive and robust global nuclear security framework. All countries must fully implement UN sanctions and multilateral export control lists, to avoid creating weaknesses and anomalies that are bound to be spotted and exploited.

5.     Such coordinated global actions will become more important as more countries consider nuclear power to meet rising energy demand. After all, climate change constrains the use of carbon-based fuels. Oil supplies are vulnerable to political and security risks. As for renewables like solar or wind, it will be a long time before they are commercially attractive, or viable on a big enough scale.

6.     Countries that need to rely on nuclear energy must therefore establish robust infrastructure to deal with nuclear safety, security and safeguards holistically. We hope that countries with experience, and international organisations such as the IAEA, will share their expertise in establishing robust procedures and systems to secure nuclear materials and facilities.

7.     The IAEA is well-placed to advise and assist states in nuclear security and safety. It is a technical agency with vast experience in nuclear matters and with almost universal membership. It therefore remains the most legitimate forum for discussions on nuclear issues and for ensuring acceptance of any international cooperative measures. This is why Singapore supports the IAEA wholeheartedly, and hopes all Member States do so too.

8.     For its part, the IAEA should, in addition to assisting individual Member States, support regional cooperation mechanisms on nuclear safety and security. It should strengthen institutional links with regional organisations such as ASEAN. Such arrangements are particularly important in regions where countries are embarking on nuclear energy programmes for the first time.

9.     Even then, there can be no absolute guarantee of nuclear security. Countries should therefore build up capabilities to deal with the aftermath of a nuclear or radiological disaster, whether due to terrorism or accident.

10.     Post-Fukushima, Singapore is reviewing our response to such nuclear incidents. We will host a Seminar on Nuclear Safety in June 2012 under the auspices of the Asia-Europe Meeting. We appreciate the co-sponsorship of the ROK, Japan, France, and the EC. We hope that the Seminar will contribute to the discourse on Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response.

11.     At the end of the day, nuclear security and safety are global challenges that no single country can solve by themselves. I look forward to working with all of you on this shared goal, and making a modest contribution to securing a safer and more secure world for our future generations.

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