Rafael Grossi: Is the world's nuclear watchdog being undermined?
The Interview
BBC
4.3 • 537 Ratings
🗓️ 16 September 2020
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What is the point of the world’s nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency? Its task is to ensure that countries intent on developing nuclear power don’t use their programmes as cover for development of weapons of mass destruction. But is the task impossible? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the new IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi. From the continued bitter arguments over Iran, to North Korea, and Saudi Arabia, is the IAEA another example of a global agency undermined by geopolitical division?
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to a podcast from the BBC World Service. This is Hard Talk with me, Stephen Sacker. |
| 0:07.0 | Thanks for downloading this edition of the program. I do hope you enjoy it. |
| 0:11.9 | Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker. My guest today is Rafael Grosie, a veteran-argent, |
| 0:20.6 | diplomat who was appointed Director General of the |
| 0:24.1 | International Atomic Energy Agency, the world's much scrutinized and often criticized nuclear |
| 0:29.8 | watchdog late last year. Now, the IAEA was conceived in the 1950s as awareness of the danger of widespread proliferation of nuclear technology |
| 0:40.3 | led the big powers to back an effort to ensure that civil nuclear programs remained just that. |
| 0:48.0 | It has been and remains an extremely difficult mission. |
| 0:52.4 | Some countries, Israel, one notable example, have refused to join the |
| 0:57.1 | international non-proliferation effort. Others, like North Korea, have walked away. Right now, Iran remains a |
| 1:05.9 | hugely contentious issue for the IAEA, and there are serious questions about the long-term nuclear ambitions |
| 1:12.4 | of other countries like Saudi Arabia. Beyond all the specific country challenges, the IAEA faces |
| 1:19.6 | a question relevant to a host of multilateral agencies. Can it function as designed in a world that |
| 1:26.9 | is riven with geopolitical division and great power rivalry? |
| 1:31.8 | Well, Rafael Grosie joins me now from Vienna. |
| 1:35.4 | Welcome to Hard Talk. |
| 1:37.2 | Hello, good to be with you. |
| 1:39.0 | It's great to have you on the show. |
| 1:40.6 | Let me begin with a question that arises from your relatively recent appointment. |
| 1:45.5 | How important is it that you are seen to be in the pocket of no nation, that you are seen to be |
| 1:52.6 | entirely independent? Well, I think that's essential. And I suppose it comes with any prominent |
| 2:00.5 | international position. |
... |
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