Liveblog: IAEA/Security Council Crisis

by Emily on NOVEMBER 12, 2011
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The IAEA committee took a turn today as the delegates were presented with a crisis. Iran was found to have nuclear weapons given to them by Russia. The weapons were transported through China and into North Korea. It is believed that the weapons will be fully functional within three weeks with the ability to reach South Korea. Delegates debated the course of action that should be taken. The United States that the believes it should hold up its 1994 agreement between the U.S. and North Korea to fund two light water nuclear reactors.

The delegation from China adamantly denies any condoning of the transport of nuclear weapons. In return for North Korea’s disarmament, the chinese delegation is prepared to fund three light water reactors and at a projected eight billion dollars and a billion dollars reimbursement. The delegate from Germany, “would like to see North Korea agree on a solution in which military force would not have to be used and all nations would agree to disarmament.” The delegates can seek aid and advisement from the Security Council. It is important to work with the Security Council because their agreement on the planned course of action is necessary to implement the goals. The delegates will resume debate with discussing multiple points of contention in various working papers.

Mr. Lee structured his opening address in reference to Steve Job’s 2005 Stanford Commencement speech. He told three stories. The first was centered around the founding of the United Nations. The U.N. emerged from the ashes of World War II with the aim to prevent another desaster such as that. The second story focused around the principles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the fact that the U.N. promotes these rights. The U.N. “brings together the world’s leaders in one place, enables them to discuss and address issues and challenges that no country acting on its own can conceive or hope to achieve.”  Mr. Lee’s final story was centered around the U.N.’s millennium goals. Although it seems unlikely that many nations will be able to make these goals, it is important that progress does not diminish even in this pessimistic light. Mr. Lee concluded by urging delegates to “Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Never be satisfied and never rest on your laurels. Always strive to do more.”

UCMUN has a wide range of committees from the IAEA and Security Council to the World Health Organization and Commission on Science and Technology for Development. The IAEA began committee yesterday by debating Nuclear Trafficing. Pakistan was quickly called out by other nations for having not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Pakistan delegate, Rachel Laffite, defended Pakistan’s choice to not sign by saying, “We the delegation of Pakistan believes that national sovereignty is of the upmost importance. We feel it is offensive  that the international community does not trust Pakistan to monitor its own activities.” The committee then began to debate various working papers with ideas ranging from annual nuclear reports produced by nations who are members of the NPT to the use of sanctions to countries that do not comply with international standards.