Statement by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC on 12-13 April 2010

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I very much appreciate President Obama’s timely initiative. This Nuclear Security Summit is really needed.

Our common concern is to maintain effective security of all nuclear materials and nuclear facilities. This requires sound national systems and increasing international cooperation.

The Final Communiqué and the Work Plan of this Summit are a very good basis for future work. Finland has more than 30 years of experience of nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plays an important role in our energy mix. Our fifth nuclear power unit is under construction. Nuclear power has its benefits, but it has also its risks.

Finland has ratified the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material in 1989. We are also ready to ratify its amendment, together with other EU Member States.

We emphasize close cooperation between national security authorities – border control, defence forces and police organisations – and those having direct responsibility for safe and secure operation of these facilities.

Last year, an IAEA expert team carried out a peer review of the nuclear security system in Finland. Our experience is positive on this kind of work. We strongly recommend that other States consider making use of these IAEA services.

International projects to strengthen nuclear security are vital. For Finland, these have included improving border controls against nuclear trafficking and replacing radioactive power sources in lighthouses on the coasts of the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Sea.

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The IAEA must have a key role in international cooperation in the area of nuclear security. The capacity of the Agency in this field should be strengthened.

The IAEA is preparing the budget for 2011 and beyond – this work is led by the Finnish Permanent Representative. We should make sure that the Agency will have a sustainable financing system for its nuclear security activities.

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The nature of the threat to nuclear security is a global one. It concerns vulnerable materials within countries and also materials in transit.

Nuclear trade is becoming more global and complex. Therefore, it is important that all parties apply adequate security measures in trade and transit.

It is worrying that the risk of nuclear terrorism has increased. The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Terrorism is the key common instrument to address this challenge. We should encourage new countries to join it in order to make our work more effective.

We all must recognise the role of the United Nations to combat non-proliferation and to increase nuclear security.

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The linkage of nuclear security to wider nuclear issues must be kept in mind. The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is crucial for international stability and security.

The Treaty still provides a solid framework for cooperation in its three areas: nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

We must work for the implementation of all these goals. I welcome the bold vision of President Obama to strive toward a world without nuclear weapons.

I warmly congratulate President Obama and President Medvedev on the signing of the new START treaty. I sincerely hope that this achievement in nuclear disarmament will be followed by a successful NPT Conference next month.