STUDIES OF TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR THE APPLICATION OF IAEA SAFEGUARDS

The objective of IAEA safeguards implemented in conjunction with the Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is to provide \"timely de- tection of diversion of significant quantities of nuclear material\" and de- terrence. To strengthen its safeguards, the IAEA is developing a system of technical criteria to clarify this objective. Agency safeguards center on four basic task elements : setting re- quirements, selecting procedures, applying safeguards and evaluating results. The system of technical criteria under development addresses each of these task elements with the intention of : 1. Establishing specific definitions of adequate safeguards; 2. Providing a quantitative basis for system design, operations and assessment? and 3. Enabling facility and national authorities to anticipate the impact of IAEA safeguards