Group
12 October 2006
Vienna - South Africa was today, Thursday, 12 October 2006, unanimously
confirmed as the next Chairperson of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, for the
period 2007 - 2008 at the consultative meeting of the Group held in Vienna,
Austria. (SA) is represented at the meeting by Ambassador Abdul Minty.
South Africa welcomes the confidence placed in it by the full membership of
the Nuclear Suppliers Group as recognition of the country's non-proliferation
and disarmament credentials.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group was established in 1975 and is composed of 45
countries across the world considered as suppliers of nuclear items. The
objectives of the Nuclear Suppliers Group are to ensure that nuclear transfers
of items for peaceful purposes are not diverted to unsafe and unguarded nuclear
activities or nuclear weapons.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group, currently chaired by Brazil, inevitably deals
with the dual use items that can be used for either peaceful or non-peaceful
purposes.
Consequent to Thursday's decision, the next annual plenary meeting of the
Nuclear Suppliers Group will be held in South Africa in the year 2007.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
12 October 2006
