2022 Conference of the Parties to the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

Vienna 28 March – 1 April 2022
Statement by Denmark

Co-Presidents

Denmark aligns itself with the EU statement to be delivered under agenda item 10.

As we meet today, the risks to nuclear security in Europe are much greater than we expected when we embarked on the process leading to this Conference. This is due to Russia’s illegal acts of military aggression towards Ukraine, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms. The war, and specifically Russia’s attacks on civilian nuclear infrastructure and sites using radiological sources, increase nuclear security risks. We appreciate and support the IAEA’s efforts to help Ukraine preserve and restore nuclear safety and security. As we demand Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine, we express our full solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Co-Presidents

Nuclear security at home and abroad is integral to our national security. Therefore, a strong international framework to protect and promote physical protection of nuclear material is essential. Universalisation of the CPPNM and its Amendment is particularly relevant in that regard. For this reason we are pleased to welcome non-parties to this Conference and hope this will promote further ratifications.

Denmark does not operate nuclear power plants, yet the CPPNM as strengthened with its Amendment is important to us. Our focus in implementation of it is on the transit through Denmark of nuclear material. To ensure security of transport, it is evident that the exporting, transit and importing state operating based on the same principles is a key contribution to reducing the risk of nuclear security breaches.

In addition to ratifying the Convention, it is also vital that states can receive practical assistance towards its implementation and nuclear security more broadly. The IAEA is ideally placed to provide such assistance, and Denmark is pleased to support the Agency’s work financially. Most recently, we have made a contribution of one million euro for the implementation of the 2022-2025 Nuclear Security Plan. 

Co-presidents

We live in times of rapid technological and other change. This makes it all the more important to make sure our legal and other international instruments are up to date. We find that the CPPNM as amended is currently adequate. But equally we believe that this adequacy, as well as the implementation of the Convention, should be kept under review. For this reason, we have joined other parties in proposing, under Article 16.2, the convening of a further conference in five to six years’ time and encourage other Parties to do so as well.

Let me close by thanking you, Co-presidents, as well as the IAEA Secretariat and all Parties for all the work that has gone into preparing this Conference. We look forward to hearing from other Parties and, importantly, from the very pertinent NGO’s and IGO’s in attendance, about their experience in implementing the Convention and views on its adequacy.

Thank you.