Senator Brown asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 12 August 2003:

(1) (a) What assistance with nuclear technology has Australia provided in the past decade to North Korea; (b) how much was provided in each year; and (c) for what purpose.

(2) (a) What criteria determine the countries which receive nuclear technology assistance; and (b) what prevents the assistance from contributing to military use.

(3) Is the nuclear technology provided to North Korea by Australia being used to develop nuclear weapons.

Senator Hill (Minister for Defence) —The following answer has been provided by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) (b) and (c) Australia has not provided any assistance with nuclear technology to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK - North Korea).

The Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) has provided training on nuclear safeguards, and the physical protection of nuclear facilities (e.g. to protect against theft or sabotage) to DPRK personnel at various times since 1986. This training has been conducted with the assistance and support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The training is outlined in ASNO's Annual Reports.

(2) (a) Member States of the IAEA, of which Australia is one, contribute to and have access to nuclear technical assistance which is primarily delivered through the IAEA's Technical Cooperation (TC) Program. The IAEA has a mandate to 'seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world......and..... ensure, so far as it is able, that assistance provided by it or at its request or under its supervision or control is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose.” The TC Program is focused on the exploitation of safe nuclear technologies to meet sustainable development goals and to improve the quality of life of all peoples. Assistance is provided in a wide range of peaceful nuclear applications including medicine, industry and agriculture. Project proposals prepared by the IAEA Member States are submitted to the IAEA's TC Department, where they are reviewed and technically assessed to ensure that they comply with the various TC criteria. Details of the TC Program can be found at http://www-tc.iaea.org/tcweb/tcprogramme/default.asp.

(b) By its nature technical assistance in nuclear applications provided by Australia and other IAEA Member States under IAEA auspices does not contribute to any military use of nuclear technology.

(3) See (1) (a).