SINGAPORE TO BEEF UP NUCLEAR SECURITY, PM LEE SAYS

Singapore will roll out tighter controls to detect and analyse radioactive and nuclear materials passing through its borders, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this at the 4th Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington, DC on Friday (Apr 1), where more than 50 countries shared their progress in strengthening nuclear security.

Since the first NSS in 2010, Singapore has tightened checks on radioactive materials passing through its ports, with every case of nuclear fuel transiting through Singapore being tracked. “From time to time, we have intercepted cargo and confiscated items,” Mr Lee said.

He said that Singapore had recently discovered a significant amount of thorium - a radioactive element which can be used as nuclear fuel.

A laboratory called the Protective Analytical and Assessment Facility (PAAF), plans for which were first announced in 2011, will also be ready this year. The lab, located at Pasir Panjang, will be able to conduct radiation-nuclear detection and analysis.

On top of that, the city-state also cooperates with international partners such as the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore, which fosters the sharing of data about transnational threats among countries.

Singapore also participates in the Proliferation Security Initiative – a global effort that combats the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction. It also adopts the recommendations of the Financial Agency Task Force, which is an intergovernmental body that fights against money laundering and terrorism funding.

NUCLEAR ATTACK BY TERRORISTS NOT IMPOSSIBLE: PM LEE

With the world becoming increasingly vulnerable to terrorism, a nuclear attack by terrorists using devices bought from the black market is “very plausible and believable”, and is a threat which countries must take seriously, Mr Lee said.

In its Dabiq magazine published last May, the Islamic State militant group had described such a scenario – where it launches a major attack with devices from the black market, Mr Lee said, urging the global community to continue fighting against nuclear terrorism.

“Terrorism in itself is a severe problem. If it's mixed up with a terrorist who has some form of radioactive weapon or WMD (weapon of mass destruction), a nuclear weapon, nuclear bomb, that's even worse,” he said.

“I think the countries (at the summit) are taking the issue of terrorism very seriously. In fact, we spent the last session this afternoon talking about terrorism rather than talking about nuclear issues –Turkey, Belgium, France all intervened passionately because they have direct experience of it,” Mr Lee said, adding that Singapore also takes a serious view of the issue.

Since the NSS began in 2010, more than 3.8 metric tons of nuclear materials have been removed globally. This amount could be used to make more than 150 nuclear weapons.

Mr Lee also expressed concern over North Korea, which he said continues to develop nuclear capabilities and conduct tests that raise tensions in North East Asia. These moves can destabilise the region, he said.

“I hope all countries will encourage (North Korea) to restrain itself and work towards denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” he said.

Mr Lee also touched on the region's plans for nuclear power plants. Vietnam and Indonesia are among the ASEAN countries planning to develop such facilities.

Nuclear power plants are not in itself a security issue, he said. “The risk is safety and in case of sabotage or theft of material, then we have a problem. That's why we are building up our capabilities to understand nuclear safety and that's why we participate in conferences like this, because the security part requires international cooperation."

During the summit, Mr Lee met with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who has accepted an invitation to deliver the keynote speech at the Shangri-la Dialogue later this year, Singapore’s Prime Minister's Office said.

Mr Lee also had bilateral meetings with his Denmark and Netherlands counterparts, as well as Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and ministers from Australia and Israel.

Source: CNA