Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland align themselves with this statement.

We take note of today’s decision to designate for IAEA Board membership in 2025-26 the countries most advanced in nuclear technology.

While we acknowledge that this decision is based on Article VI.A.1 of the IAEA Statute, we consider it unacceptable that one designated Board member continues to violate the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of another IAEA Member State. We recall that the Statute of the Agency does not entail only rights and privileges, but also obligations. All IAEA Member States, and even more so the designated Board members, must act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Once again, we urge Russia to comply with the IAEA Statute and all relevant IAEA and UN resolutions. 

Thank you, Chair.