Safeguards and Middle East Issues Signal Contention at the 2014 IAEA General Conference

Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova
September 15, 2014

Download the Fact Sheets

• Overview of the GC, main issues, and political groupings
• Middle East Issues
• Safeguards

2014 IAEA General Conference

On September 22-26, 2014, representatives of International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) member states will gather in Vienna, Austria, for the 58th session of the Agency’s General Conference (GC). Their deliberations will cover a wide array of issues such as the implementation and further development of IAEA safeguards, the security and safety of nuclear facilities and materials, nuclear energy, and uses of nuclear and radiological materials in medicine and agriculture.

Points of Contention

Some items on the GC agenda have proved controversial in recent years, prompting heated debates and intense negotiations on relevant resolutions. This year, it is expected that safeguards- and Middle East-related issues will once again be contentious, as Russia and other states continue to question the implementation of the state-level concept in safeguards, and the Arab states are pushing for the adoption of a resolution on Israel’s nuclear capabilities.

What is the state-level concept? Why do states disagree on the Middle East-related resolutions? Who are the main actors and groupings? Experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) have created Fact Sheets to answer these and other questions about the IAEA General Conference. Download the Fact Sheets for background information on key issues, current developments, and reference documents.

Download the Fact Sheets

• Overview of the GC, main issues, and political groupings
• Middle East Issues
• Safeguards