(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) State of Kuwait's celebration of joining the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coincides with convening the 58th annual conference of the agency, slated for September 22.
Since its membership on September 14, 1964, Kuwait has been playing a key role in the IAEA'a activities that support development projects in the developing countries and use nuclear activities in peaceful purposes.
For 50 years, Kuwait has been keen on developing and expanding its relations with the IAEA particularly in the fields of researches, health, energy, agriculture, environment and technical cooperation.
Kuwait and the entire region have been benefiting from that move as the IAEA had adopted a neutral and professional stance in the sensitive nuclear issues. The IAEA makes efforts to establish a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East; it monitored nuclear programs in Iraq, where there were military dimensions under the era of former president Saddam Hussein, as well as nuclear activities in Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Kuwait and the IAEA started cooperating in 1976 as it expressed its commitment to intensify efforts in order to benefit from the IAEA's capabilities by singing a number of mutual agreements.
Kuwait donated a USD 300 million contribution to the IAEA for an international fuel bank to supply nations with low-enriched uranium to operate nuclear power reactors.
Responding to the IAEA's call for inspecting and monitoring nuclear institutions in the world and encouraging peaceful purposes of nuclear activities, Kuwait donated euro 250,000 for inspecting nuclear programs in the world and settling issues related to nuclear activities.
Kuwait's commitment was lauded by the IAEA's officials.
In a statement to KUNA, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano praised Kuwait's continuing support, cooperation and efforts, saying Kuwait is an "important partner" to the IAEA.
He commended an agreement signed between Kuwait and the IAEA this year by which a number of mutual projects and activities would be carried out.
Due to its chairmanship of the Arab League Summit, Kuwait plays a key role in bolstering cooperation among Arab countries to establish a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East and help Arab countries to benefit more from the IAEA's projects in many fields.
Kuwait also has a distinguished role in the IAEA's meetings and conferences as it is a member of the Non-Alignment Movement and the Arab group.
The IAEA's 58th annual conference, slated for September 22 in Vienna, will call on all states in the world, especially Israel, to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
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