TEXT ON UN SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC RADIATION APPROVED BY FOURTH COMMITTEE

19 October 1998

Press Release
GA/SPD/139

TEXT ON UN SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC RADIATION APPROVED BY FOURTH COMMITTEE

19981019 Committee Concludes Debate on Effects of Atomic Radiation; Speakers Highlight Effects of 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Accident

The General Assembly would endorse the intentions and plans of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation for its future activities of scientific review and assessment, according to a draft resolution approved this afternoon by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

By other terms of the draft, which was approved without a vote as the Committee concluded its consideration of the effects of atomic radiation, the Assembly would also request the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to continue providing support for the effective conduct of the Scientific Committee's work and for the dissemination of its findings to the General Assembly, the scientific community and the public.

During the Committee's debate this afternoon, the representative of Belarus said that in his country, which had received more than 70 per cent of the fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, more than 2 million people, including more than half a million children under the age of 17, were exposed to radiation. In the post-Chernobyl period, cases of thyroid cancer in children had increased, as had cases of breast cancer in women. Doctors and scientists believed that an epidemic of cancer-related diseases, which would peak at the turn of the century, was imminent.

Continuing, he said that according to estimates, the irreversible damage suffered by Belarus as the result of the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe amounted to $235 billion, 32 times higher than the national budget in 1986. The country was unable to solve the post-Chernobyl problems alone. For that reason, it continued to rely on international assistance, for which it was grateful, but it was also concerned about the "Chernobyl fatigue" of donor countries.

The representative of Kazakhstan said that, despite repeated telephone conversations with senior members of the secretariat of the Scientific

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Committee, no reference had been made in the Committee's report to the impact of atomic radiation on the health of the inhabitants of Kazakhstan, as a result of the nuclear tests conducted on its territory. She said about 500 nuclear devices had been exploded at the Semipalatinsk testing ground and 1.6 million people had been subjected to radiation as a result of the explosions.

The representative of Papua New Guinea said his country believed that the Government of the United States should not only compensate the people of the Marshall Islands, but also take greater remedial action to clean up the environment for the peoples affected by nuclear radiation, including the Federated States of Micronesia and others within the immediate islands in the region.

The representative of Iraq said his country held the United Kingdom and the United States legally responsible for the suffering of Iraqis, as a result of the use of enriched uranium during the Gulf War. The use of enriched uranium should be banned and all countries that had stockpiles should destroy them immediately.

Statements were also made by the representatives of India, Slovakia, Egypt, Pakistan, Brazil, Syria and Ukraine.

Also this afternoon, the Committee elected Bernard Tanoh-Boutchone (Côte d'Ivoire) as Rapporteur.

The Fourth Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday, 21 October, to begin its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to conclude its discussion on the effects of atomic radiation. It was also expected to elect a Rapporteur and to take action on a draft resolution (document A/C.4/53/L.6).

By terms of the text, the General Assembly would decide to maintain the present functions and independent role of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation including the present reporting arrangements. It would also endorse the intentions and plans of the Scientific Committee for its future activities of scientific review and assessment on behalf of the Assembly.

By further terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would request the Scientific Committee to: continue its work, including its important activities to increase knowledge of the levels, effects and risks of ionizing radiation from all sources; continue at its next session the review of the important problems in the field of radiation; and report to the Assembly at its fifty-fourth session.

The Assembly would also request the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to continue providing support for the effective conduct of the work of the Committee and for the dissemination of its findings to the Assembly, the scientific community and the public. In addition, the Assembly would invite Member States, United Nations bodies and non-governmental organizations to provide the Scientific Committee with data about doses, effects and risks from various sources of radiation.

The resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Also before the Committee was a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the effects of atomic radiation (document A/53/483), which recommends that the General Assembly maintain the present functions and independent scientific role of the Scientific Committee, including the present reporting arrangements. It further recommends that, should the Assembly decide otherwise, the Secretary-General consult with WHO prior to any such decision in order to consider other institutional arrangements, such as a WHO/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) joint scientific committee.

The report also contains WHO's evaluation of the Scientific Committee's 1998 annual report on the effects of atomic radiation. (For detailed background see Press Release GA/SPD/138 issued 14 October.)

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Statements

ALYAKSEI SKRYPKO (Belarus) said his country fully supported the important work of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. The activities of the Scientific Committee, moreover, were essential for Belarus, which had suffered the worst from the Chernobyl catastrophe.

He noted with satisfaction that the research and assessment of the after-effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe remained a focus of attention for the Scientific Committee, he said. However, with regard to paragraph 6 of the Scientific Committee's report, he wished to provide some clarification to the Committee's conclusion that "the Chernobyl accident caused extremely high doses to some individuals in the short term and lengthy moderate exposures to large population groups".

According to national research conducted in Belarus, which accumulated more than 70 per cent of the Chernobyl fallout, more than 2 million people, including over half a million children under the age of 17, were exposed to radiation, he said. Practically every fifth national in Belarus, rather than "some individuals", received not "moderate exposure", but a high dose of radiation over a long-term period. More than 20 per cent of the Republic's land could not be used for living or cultivating.

The post-Chernobyl period was also witnessing an increase in cases of thyroid cancer in children and breast cancer in women, he said. Doctors and scientists believe that an epidemic of cancer-related diseases, which would peak at the turn of the next century, was imminent. He welcomed the intention of the Scientific Committee to produce a review of all information available on the Chernobyl catastrophe.

His Government attached paramount importance to providing maximum radiation security to the country's citizens, he said. The Chernobyl tragedy was a heavy burden. According to estimates, the irreversible damage suffered by Belarus as the result of the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe amounted to $235 billion, which was 32 times higher than the national budget in 1986, the time of the accident.

His country was unable to solve the post-Chernobyl problems alone, he said. For that reason, it continued to rely on international assistance and was grateful for such help, but was concerned with the "Chernobyl fatigue" of donor countries. Moreover, the attention the international community was currently focusing on the problems of nuclear safety and closing of the Chernobyl plant were unjustified -- while the myriad of medical, humanitarian and environmental consequences were left in the margins. His Government was also interested in receiving the newest technologies on cleaning the

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contaminated soils, so that they could once again be actively used for agricultural purposes.

He said the lessons of Chernobyl should live in the hearts and minds of the people of the world, to prevent similar catastrophes from ever happening again. An international scientific conference should be convened under the aegis of the Scientific Committee to develop a programme of research of the medical and environmental after-effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe.

AKMARAL ARYSTANBEKOVA (Kazakhstan) said that her country was familiar with the problems associated with the effects of atomic radiation, because for almost half a century it had nuclear weapons deployed on its territory and was the scene of a large number of nuclear tests. The history of the Semipalatinsk nuclear-testing ground, where the tests were carried out, had begun on 29 August 1949, when the Soviet Union conducted the first explosion of a plutonium bomb. The nuclear tests at the testing ground had continued for 40 years, until President Nursultan Nazarbaev had decreed its closure.

She said that about 500 nuclear devices had been exploded at the testing ground. The resulting environmental and health problems which had not yet been fully studied, undermined the economy of the Semipalatinsk region, creating a need for substantial humanitarian and social assistance. Also, during that period, the necessary measures were not taken to protect the population. In Kazakhstan, 1.6 million people had been subjected to radiation as a result of the nuclear explosions. That estimate had been reduced to 1.2 million, taking into account the birth and mortality rates, as well as emigration.

The underground tests had destroyed the region's ecology and accelerated the process of desertification, she continued. Significant land and water resources had been subjected to radiation contamination and economic activity in the territory located around the testing ground had been considerably reduced. Her Government continued to make enormous efforts to overcome the consequences of the weapons tests. The first step in that direction had been the closing of the nuclear-testing ground, a step that had been commended by the world community as unprecedented.

She said that Kazakhstan's voluntary renunciation of nuclear weapons and its firm devotion to the non-proliferation regime demonstrated its consistent support for the strengthening of regional and global security. In the past two years, two international conferences had been held in Kazakhstan on issues relating to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons at which, among other issues, discussions were held on the problem of radiation safety and the rehabilitation of the territory of the former testing ground.

She said that last year, the General Assembly had adopted a resolution on "International cooperation and coordination for the human and ecological rehabilitation and economic development of the Semipalatinsk region of

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Kazakhstan", which recognized the seriousness of the situation in the Semipalatinsk region. The resolution urged the international community to provide assistance to her Government in its efforts to overcome the consequences of the nuclear tests. The adoption of that resolution, which had been sponsored by 47 Member States, testified to the firm support expressed by the international community.

Unfortunately, she said, despite repeated telephone conversations with senior members of the secretariat of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, no reference had been made in the Committee's report to the impact of atomic radiation on the health of the inhabitants of Kazakhstan as a result of the nuclear tests conducted on its territory. She called upon the Committee to include such information in its annual report, in particular on the impact of radiation on the health of the population of the Semipalatinsk region.

T.C. GEHLOT (India) said atomic energy was becoming an increasingly vital component, particularly for developing countries, for the generation of electric power and for wide-ranging applications in nuclear medicine, industry and agriculture.

He said India noted the contributions by the Scientific Committee towards a better understanding of DNA repair and mutagenesis, the hereditary effects of high dose exposures and the health effects of the Chernobyl accident. His Government shared the consensus view that both the IAEA and the World Health Organization (WHO) derived benefits from their respective roles, which were distinct. Accordingly, India felt it was most appropriate to insert the seventh and eighth preambular paragraphs in the draft resolution. Moreover, he shared the view that the present functions and independent role of the Scientific Committee was important. Thus, he supported inclusion in the draft resolution operative paragraphs 2 and 4.

The southern coastal regions of India and particularly the State of Kerala had very high background levels of radiation, he continued. Yet, the studies carried out by the Government's Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Department of Atomic Energy, did not reveal higher frequencies of chromosomal abberations in newborn children in high-level natural background radiation areas, as compared to those in normal background radiation areas. Also, the available cancer epidemiological data did not show that the inhabitants of the high-level radiation areas of Kerala were at a higher risk than those in normal-level radiation areas. Those observations pointed to the need for further studies and possibly a new outlook on the effects of low, chronic exposures and high, acute exposures on humans.

TOMAS HRBAC (Slovakia) said that the exploitation of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, as well as the use of radionuclides in many different fields, had resulted in profound changes in a modern industrialized society. Unfortunately, every imprudent interference with the balance of nature could

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have disastrous consequences. Although atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons had ceased over the last several decades, man-made radionuclides continued to be released into the environment from the large growth of a civil nuclear power programmes and the use of radionuclides in medicine, agriculture and industry. It was imperative to study the interaction between atomic radiation and the human environment in order to avoid irreversible damage to the latter and to minimize the health risks of exposure.

As a country with an active programme of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the application of radioisotopes in industry and medicine, Slovakia attached great importance to the work of the Scientific Committee, he said. Slovakia had been contributing to the work of the Scientific Committee by providing relevant data and making full use of the results of that Committee's work. Moreover, Slovak experts had been participating in the work of Scientific Committee within the delegation of former Czechoslovakia from the very beginning. In 1993, Slovakia had been appointed a member of the Committee to fill the seat vacated by the former Czechoslovakia.

He said that his country had been constantly advocating the need to preserve an independent scientific status for the Scientific Committee. His delegation was, therefore, pleased to learn that the IAEA and the WHO shared the view that the General Assembly maintain the present functions and role of the Scientific Committee, including the present reporting arrangements. As the IAEA and WHO had outlined in their reports, the activities of the two organizations and the Scientific Committee were complementary.

WALID HAGGAG (Egypt) said it was important that the world continue to receive information in an appropriate and timely manner on the effects of atomic radiation. There was an increasing need for broader studies on preventative measures in that field.

He welcomed all forthcoming information provided by the Scientific Committee aimed at ameliorating the effects of radioactivity. Moreover, he supported the peaceful use of nuclear power in the medical, industrial and agricultural fields and hoped for the free access and transfer of such power, without discrimination and in accordance with article 4 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Moreover, he called for the removal of all weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East region and wanted all States, including Israel, to be subject to comprehensive safeguards. Israel, which was on Egypt's eastern border, posed the real danger to States in the area, because it was not subject to any controls of the IAEA or the international community, he said.

BURHANUL ISLAM (Pakistan) said that the report of the Scientific Committee provided a detailed narrative of its work and achievements in different stages since its inception 33 years ago. The Committee's meaningful

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coordination with Member States in gathering information and collating it for mankind's collective benefit must be acknowledged. He looked forward to the substantive report of the Scientific Committee in two year's time, which, among other things, would focus on the questions that had arisen concerning the local and regional exposures from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. The reported high incidence of thyroid cancer in those exposed as children was a matter of serious concern. The Committee must continue to assess the cancer mortality and incidence data derived from various studies.

Another vital area where the Scientific Committee had contributed significantly was in the research on the possibility of harm in the progeny of exposed persons, commonly known as the hereditary effects, he said. Further review of the cellular changes that determined heritable genetic defects would help in achieving useful results. While nuclear medicine had become an important area of modern research, it was a matter of concern for all that medical radiation was the largest source of man-made exposure. The scientific research in medical diagnosis and therapy through nuclear research must not be stopped, but measures must be adopted against unsafe levels of radiation exposure.

He recalled that in its statement to the Fourth Committee last year, his delegation had expressed its reservations about paragraph 9 of General Assembly resolution 52/55 which, among other things, recommended that the IAEA and the WHO might reconsider the functions and role of the Scientific Committee. That recommendation had essentially been based on the proposal of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the United Nations, as contained in the General Assembly resolution 52/241, purportedly to circumvent the role and functions of the Scientific Committee, including its possible merger with the IAEA.

At that time, it had been emphasized that the Scientific Committee's independence and representative character must not be circumvented thorough its merger with any other institutions or by changing its existing reporting arrangements, he said. He noted with satisfaction that the Scientific Committee, in its latest report, had recommended to the General Assembly to maintain the present functions and role of the Committee, including the present arrangements.

HENRIQUE R. VALLE (Brazil) speaking on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the associated States of Bolivia and Chile, welcomed the broad review of the impact of radiation from the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. It was important to arrive at scientific and acceptable conclusions and he hoped the outcome of the investigation would add to the already existing information on the people affected by atomic radiation.

He said MERCOSUR was pleased the Scientific Committee had shown an interest in evaluating the natural sources and levels of radiation affecting the environment. Moreover, it supported the continued collaboration of the

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Committee and the IAEA and the WHO to investigate radionuclides in the environment. He was also pleased that the Committee would maintain its present structure and distinctive status from the IAEA and WHO. Moreover, he reaffirmed that nuclear energy should be used only for peaceful ends.

ROKAN HAMA AL-ANBUGE (Iraq) said troops of the United Kingdom and the United States had used enriched uranium in their aggression against Iraq, contrary to international law that prohibited the use of radioactive weapons.

He quoted a 1995 report published in the French Le Monde Diplomatique, which had stated that 300 tons of radioactive material had been used, causing significant pollution of the environment and serious casualties. Scientific reports and studies carried out by Iraqi authorities, research bodies and independent organizations, had studied the effects of enriched uranium on the Iraqi people and had demonstrated abnormal morbidity and abnormal contamination, 45 times the amount recorded in 1989.

Moreover, 75 per cent of the cases in certain sicknesses involved children, he said. The blood and lymphatic cells had been affected and that had led to damage of the lungs, skin, nervous systems and muscular systems, as well as to miscarriages and many different diseases. Those diseases had never previously been known in Iraq or the region. Enriched uranium, when used, remained in the water, soil and air for several generations, making the land and water resources unusable. Because of the nature of the highly radioactive fallout, there had also been contamination of people outside military areas. Because of the toxic nature of the radioactive material used, there were still cases of disease being observed.

He said Iraq held the United Kingdom and the United States internationally and legally responsible -- as well as on the humanitarian and moral levels -- for the environmental and human impact. They were also responsible for the suffering of the current generation of Iraqis, which would also be felt by future generations. The use of enriched uranium should be internationally banned and all countries that had stockpiles should destroy them immediately.

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said the expansion of nuclear technology in the past few years had increased the challenges to the international community. He urged Member States to find the sophisticated processes and proper research and security to confront those challenges.

He said nuclear technology could be beneficial to humanity in the fields of medicine, industry and agriculture. In particular, it could raise the standard of living in developing countries. He urged the international community and the Scientific Committee to continue to cooperate and find the most non-discriminatory and multilateral measures to supervise undesirable sources of nuclear technology. He also called for comprehensive respect for the work of the IAEA.

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He fully supported a denuclearized Middle East and the peaceful use of nuclear technology, he said. However, the current imbalance would remain as long as Israel was the only State possessing a nuclear arsenal that was not covered by the NPT. Nuclear programmes not subject to such controls sowed the real terror and danger in the region.

JIMMY OVIA (Papua New Guinea) said that nuclear issues, and especially the effects of atomic radiation, were among the greatest concerns of the member States of the South Pacific Forum. Since Papua New Guinea's admission to the United Nations in 1976 it had not only been vocal about the issues, but had tried to push for the clean-up of the region.

He said his country continued with that task. Also, it joined the calls made by the delegation of the Marshall Islands on the continuing plight of the people there affected by the previous nuclear testing programmes of its former administering Power. His Government not only believed that the United States should compensate those people, but also believed that it should take greater remedial action in treatment and doing in-depth studies, as well as cleaning up the environment for the people of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and others within the immediate region.

While joining the delegation of the Marshall Islands and others in the international community in welcoming the report of the Scientific Committee, his Government also joined them in reiterating that the Committee should do a lot more than just reporting, he said. The General Assembly, and in particular the Fourth Committee, should broaden the Scientific Committee's mandate, so that it might actively assist those physically suffering from the effects of atomic radiation.

He said that he had also noted the work undertaken by scientists in French Polynesia, but would continue to call on the French authorities to keep the region informed of any new findings and developments in that part of the region. Member States could not afford to be complacent, as any damage to the environment would ultimately affect all the populations of the immediate Pacific region.

VICTOR SEMENENKO (Ukraine) said his country felt a deep satisfaction that the Scientific Committee's programme was dedicated to the most tragic and still not explored technological disaster of the second half of this century -- the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. He welcomed the decision to carry out a review of all information available about both local and regional exposures from the Chernobyl accident and include it into its year 2000 report. Moreover, he hoped that such comprehensive and independent reports by the Committee would help people around the world to realize all the dimensions of the Chernobyl tragedy.

According to Bulgaria's Oceanography Institute, the quantities of cesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-239 in the Black Sea remained

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significantly above standard levels, he said. It was evident that without adequate international support, Ukraine could not afford to fix what would be a potential disaster. Fortunately, the international community had not left Ukraine alone with the problem. He believed that the joint efforts of Member Sates in resolving the problems of Chernobyl would serve as an example of the way the international community could address other catastrophes of global dimensions.

PABLO MACEDO (Mexico), Committee Chairman, then introduced the draft resolution A/C.4/53/L.6. He said the following Member States had joined as co-sponsors: Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Armenia, Singapore, Brazil, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Solomon Islands.

The Committee then adopted the resolution without a vote.

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