Year
1997
Abstract
It is important that scientists and engineers act in accordance with accepted ethical standards concerning accuracy in communicating information on technical safeguards capabilities and limitations. But public relations pressures which emphasize the goal of public confidence can in some cases appear to impose a conflict of interest on safeguards professionals. In this context, professional societies can perform a vital function in establishing specific standards, promoting ethical practices, and advising on procedures and policies for resolving issues concerning written and oral communication on safeguards capabilities and limitations. An upcoming (Programme 93+2) issue, which is on the discussion agenda of the INMM International Safeguards Division, will be a theme of \"checking\" rather than \"verifying.\" A long-standing safeguards issue is the practice of expressing effectiveness of IAEA safeguards in terms of quantitatively framed claims regarding capability to \"detect diversion,\" despite authoritative published papers which attest that non-quantifiable factors are integral to safeguards effectiveness--especially for containment & surveillance and in investigation of alarms, discrepancies, and anomalies. Furthermore, one common use of the term \"detection of diversion\" has been severely criticized and remains and important issue.