The Holy See says the international community must “embrace an ethic of responsibility”.
It says it is essential to create “a climate of trust, and to strengthen cooperative security through multilateral dialogue.”
The comments were made at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Monseigneur Antoine Camilleri, Undersecretary for Relations with States said promoting nuclear security is of significant importance to the Holy See.
He acknowledged the progress that international collaboration has already made.
At the same time, he said work needs to continue on two fronts.
One is to prevent the growth of nuclear weapons production.
The other is to rid the world of them.
This will require a range of measures to counter different concerns.
Camilleri says one set of concerns involves issues like socio-economic development, human rights and political participation.
Others, he says, need extra effort.
For example, extra work will be needed to physically protect nuclear material.
This will involve ensuring the material is safely contained.
Camilleri says safe containment is of central importance to nuclear security work “as failure to control nuclear material could have catastrophic consequences”.
The other issue Camilleri says needs extra effort involves “counteracting insider threats as well as preventing cyber attacks on sensitive data and facilities”.
This will mean paying extra attention to ensuring information security and computer security systems are robust.
It will also mean taking extra care to protect information about nuclear security.
Camilleri said cooperation between states is essential as “many threats to nuclear security do not respect borders”.
He said these threats are “facilitated by the political instability and crises that … plague numerous parts of our world.
“The Holy See is, therefore, pleased that great efforts have been made by the IAEA and its member states to strengthen the security regime … and to improve and complement the regulations and the legal framework for it.
“These efforts have to be continued,” he said.
Source
- ICN
- CNA
- Image: Daily Times
