'Nuclear security won't hamper right to peaceful use of Nuclear power'

SEOUL: Seeking strong national measures and global cooperation against nuclear terrorism, world leaders today underlined the central role of IAEA in strengthening the atomic security framework and insisted that the rights of States to peaceful use of nuclear energy will not be hampered.

"We stress the fundamental responsibility of States, consistent with their respective national and international obligations, to maintain effective security of all nuclear materials, which includes nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons and nuclear facilities under their control," the Seoul Communique said at the end of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit.

The communique, adopted by 53 world leaders and five multilateral organisations, also highlighted the fundamental responsibility of the States to prevent non-state actors from acquiring such materials and from obtaining information or technology required to use them for malicious purposes.

"Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security," it said. "Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation."

"We reaffirm that measures to strengthen nuclear security will not hamper the rights of States to develop and utilise nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," it said.

The leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama, reaffirmed the essential responsibility and central role of the IAEA in strengthening the international nuclear security framework, and recognised the value of the IAEA Nuclear Security Plan 2010-2013.

"We will work to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to support the implementation of nuclear security objectives," the communique said.