U.N. nuclear watchdog leader ElBaradei to speak about nonproliferation

By Sharan L. Daniel

Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will deliver the 2004 Drell Lecture, sponsored by the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in Kresge Auditorium. His lecture, "Nuclear Nonproliferation and Arms Control: The Road Ahead," is free and open to the public.

ElBaradei also will address the legal aspects of nuclear nonproliferation in a second lecture, "Legal Issues in Nuclear Nonproliferation and Global Security," at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, in Room 180 of the Law School. This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Stanford Law School, Stanford International Law Society and Stanford Law Society of Silicon Valley.

As head of the IAEA, ElBaradei oversees international inspections enforcing provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and related arms control agreements. Prior to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in spring 2003, ElBaradei and Hans Blix, former chief of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), the IAEA group charged with carrying out U.N. Security Council-mandated inspections in Iraq, reported progress with the inspections. As IAEA inspectors evacuated from Iraq on March 19, 2003, ElBaradei continued to urge completion of the U.N. Security Council inspection process.

More recently, IAEA reprimands of Iran have made headlines, with the agency's board of governors scheduled to revisit Iran's compliance with NPT provisions shortly after ElBaradei's visit to Stanford. On Sept. 13, 2004, the IAEA issued a deadline of Nov. 25 for Iran to report fully on its nuclear program. For more than a year, the United States has advocated referral of Iran's case to the U.N. Security Council, after inspections revealed evidence of covert Iranian nuclear research.

Before assuming the IAEA's top job on Dec. 1, 1997, ElBaradei held a number of high-level policy positions, including that of IAEA legal adviser. A diplomat and scholar, ElBaradei works closely with international organizations, particularly in the fields of peace, security and law.

CISAC's Drell Lecture traditionally addresses a critical national or international security issue that has important scientific or technical dimensions. The lecture is named for Sidney Drell, CISAC's founding science co-director. Albert (BS '49, Engr '49) and Cicely (AB '52) Wheelon endowed the lectureship.

Editor Note:

A mult box will be supplied for television and radio coverage of both talks.

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