The United States on Wednesday (Jul 22) announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes safeguards against non-proliferation.
The move comes as the United States under US President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in part over US concerns with Tehran's nuclear programme - an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled talks between the two foes.
Two agreements - one on "peaceful nuclear cooperation" and another on "bilateral safeguards" - were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the US Energy Department said.
The text of the deals was not immediately made public.
"Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation," the department said in a statement.
A provision in the deal would potentially see US companies build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported. The energy department statement made no mention of such a provision, and the department did not offer comment when asked about it by AFP.
The deal will be submitted to Congress for review, but the Republican-controlled legislature is unlikely to be able to hold up its implementation.
US lawmakers from both parties and Israeli officials have voiced opposition to a civilian nuclear project for Saudi Arabia over fears it could be converted to eventually develop nuclear weapons.
Saudi Arabia, like Tehran, has long been adamant about its right to pursue a civilian nuclear program. Last year it signed a mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.
Washington has sought in recent years to include any deal concerning a nuclear agreement in a wider strategic play that would see Saudi Arabia normalise ties with Israel, along with the signing of a US defence pact.
DESTABILISED REGION
The United States signed a nuclear agreement with the kingdom's neighbour, the United Arab Emirates in 2009, although the country does not enrich its own uranium.
A drone struck a generator in May near the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant, the Arab world's only such facility, causing a fire.
Policymakers have long feared that if Iran produced a nuclear weapon, the move would set off an arms race across the Gulf.
US Energy Secretary Wright dismissed concerns about proliferation, insisting the deal was in Washington's economic and strategic interest.
"Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world's best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States," he said in a statement.
The US-Saudi deal was signed under Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act. The United States has agreements governing nuclear cooperation with more than 50 countries, although the extent varies by each deal.
Experts said such a deal had been in the works for a considerable period, but some raised concerns about the potential for enrichment on Saudi soil.
"It would be a mistake to allow Saudi Arabia the capability for enrichment," said Matthew Kroenig of the Atlantic Council in comments made before the deal was formally announced.
“Washington is right to strengthen its relationship with Riyadh, but it should not do so at the expense of its effective nuclear weapons nonproliferation standards.”
Jennifer T Gordon, director of the Atlantic Council's Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, lauded the agreement as a "win for the United States over Russia and China".
"Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it will purchase nuclear energy technologies and begin a civil nuclear program; the only question has been whether the kingdom would choose to work with the US and its allies, or whether it would turn to Russia or China," she said.
Source: AFP
– Agencies
