US signs civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

Washington, United States: The United States on Wednesday unveiled a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia to establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf kingdom, with Washington maintaining that the pact incorporates strict non-proliferation safeguards.

The announcement comes as President Donald Trump's administration remains engaged in a conflict with Iran that was largely triggered by concerns over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran's nuclear programme also continues to be a major sticking point in the currently stalled peace negotiations.

The agreement comprises two separate accords — one covering "peaceful nuclear cooperation" and another on "bilateral safeguards". They were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, according to the US Department of Energy.

The full text of the agreements has not yet been released.

"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.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the agreement could allow US companies to build a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia. However, the Energy Department's statement made no reference to such a provision and declined to comment when approached by AFP.

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The agreements will now be submitted to the US Congress for review, although they are expected to pass without major hurdles given the Republican majority in the legislature.

The prospect of Saudi Arabia developing uranium enrichment capabilities has previously drawn criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as Israeli officials, who fear such technology could eventually be used for military purposes.

Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that it has the right to pursue a peaceful civilian nuclear programme. Last year, the kingdom also signed a mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.

In recent years, Washington has attempted to integrate any nuclear cooperation agreement with broader strategic goals, including a US-Saudi defence pact and Saudi Arabia's potential normalisation of relations with Israel.

Proliferation concerns

The United States previously signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the neighbouring United Arab Emirates in 2009, though the UAE does not enrich uranium domestically.

In May, a drone strike hit a generator near the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant — the Arab world's only operational nuclear facility — causing a fire.

Analysts have long warned that any move by Iran to acquire nuclear weapons could trigger a wider arms race across the Gulf region.

US Energy Secretary Wright rejected concerns surrounding the Saudi deal, arguing that it serves both American strategic and economic interests.

"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.

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The agreement was signed under Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, which governs civilian nuclear cooperation between the United States and partner countries. Washington currently has similar agreements with more than 50 nations, although the terms differ from one country to another.

Experts noted that negotiations on the pact had been underway for a long time, though some continued to express reservations over allowing uranium enrichment within Saudi Arabia.

"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, described 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. (AFP)