New and Better Equipment Being Made Available for International Nuclear Safeguards

Gao ID: NSIAD-84-46 June 14, 1984

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated U.S. research and development efforts regarding equipment for the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nuclear safeguards program.

The main mechanism by which the United States assists IAEA is the Program of Technical Assistance to Safeguards (POTAS). Through POTAS, the United States has developed 21 types of safeguard equipment for IAEA use. GAO found that most of this equipment is available for use; however, the adequacy of such equipment is uncertain because neither the United States nor IAEA has criteria for determining equipment adequacy. Of the 21 types of equipment, 15 are in some degree of use, while the others are either being tested or are not expected to be used. GAO believes that multilateral coordination with a technical emphasis among IAEA members is necessary and would enable IAEA to better plan and control safeguards activities and facilitate exchanges of technical information about equipment under development.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Joan M. McCabe Team: General Accounting Office: National Security and International Affairs Division Phone: (202) 275-4128


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