UAE-US sign pact on peaceful nuclear energy
Posted: 21 April 2008
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UAE Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, signed Monday in Bahrain a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy, state news agency WAM reported.
The signing follows the public launch of the detailed policy document by the UAE on the evaluation and potential development of peaceful nuclear energy within the UAE as the best viable alternative to meet the power demand.
 The nuclear policy highlights the country’s plans to set up a nuclear energy programme implementation organisation.
Commenting on the signing of the bilateral agreement, Sheikh Abdullah said: “the UAE-US MoU represents an excellent example of cooperation the UAE hopes to forge with responsible nuclear supplier states in the area of peaceful nuclear energy. There are potential mutual benefits to both parties from deepening cooperation in the development of the UAE's domestic nuclear energy sector.”
The Foreign Minister further welcomed the prospect of negotiating a more extensive bilateral agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation (known as Section 123 Agreement in the United States), which would establish the necessary legal basis for trade in significant nuclear commodities between the two countries.
It also contains a number of commitments and strategies designed to ensure that these principles would be upheld by any UAE domestic nuclear programme, including a pledge to forego any domestic enrichment or reprocessing capability in favour of long-term external fuel supply arrangements.
The UAE policy in this respect is based upon the principles of complete operational transparency and the highest standards of safety, security and non-proliferation, WAM said.
The first phase of the programme will be carried out with foreign assistance, and offer joint-venture arrangements to foreign investors for construction and operation of future nuclear power plants, said Hamad al-Kaabi, representative of the Ministry of Foreign affairs for international nuclear cooperation.
National annual peak demand for electricity is likely to rise to more than 40,000 MW’s by 2020, reflecting a cumulative annual growth rate of roughly 9% from 2007 onward, the UAE said.
“Nuclear power is proving an option that that UAE can't ignore because it's cost competitive,” Al-Kaabi said, adding that by 2020, natural gas will be insufficient to meet the country's energy requirements.
In March, UAE announced plans to establish Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organisation, a Dh 375 million ($100 million) initiative to evaluate and potentially realise the ‘transparent’ nuclear energy programme within the UAE. It was preceded by an agreement with France to help UAE develop the nuclear capability in January. |
