Jordan negotiates construction of nuclear power plant
Wall Street Journal reports that US, Hashemite Kingdom in advanced stages of concluding agreement according to which Washington will help Amman set up civilian nuclear reactor. Accord subject to US Congress approval which seeks a no-uranium-enrichment clause
Jordan is moving forward with its plan to set up a nuclear reactor. The Hashemite Kingdom is currently in advanced stages of negotiations with the Obama administration for a nuclear-cooperation agreement, according to a Wall Street Journal report based on US and Jordanian senior official sources.
Should negotiations end successfully, Jordan will become the second Arab state to receive US aid for the installation of a civilian nuclear reactor within less than a year. The first Arab state was the United Arab Emirates. Such an agreement is subject to US Congress approval.
According to the impending accord, King Abdullah and the Jordanian administration will import oil and nuclear equipment from American companies. US President Barack Obama has pledged in the past to help countries develop civilian nuclear programs in order to prevent the production of nuclear weapons.
US administration officials said that the cooperation agreement between the US and the UAE signed last year serves as a model for future similar accords.
Last October it was decided that the UAE will import fuel for its nuclear reactors and will be prohibited from producing it alone. The Persian Gulf country also pledged not to produce plutonium which serves for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
The question arises whether Jordan will follow in the UAE's footsteps and guarantee not to enrich high level uranium. The agreement could face obstacles in the US Congress should Amman not approve a zero-enrichment clause.
"If Jordan wants to enrich … then the UAE would also have the right to renegotiate," said a congressional aide working on nuclear issues. "This situation threatens to touch off a lot of regional tension, and we would oppose.".
Jordanian elements appear optimistic that the deal will be signed soon. "We're confident we can complete the agreement in the near term," said Jordan's ambassador to Washington, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein.
Jordan is expected to set up its first nuclear reactor in a desert area near Saudi Arabia, south of the Port of Accaba.
Energy challenge
In January 2007, Jordan's king declared intentions of starting a peaceful nuclear program with US support. The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission chief estimated that the reactor will supply 30% of the Hashemite Kingdom's electricity consumption and that by 2030 will become an electricity exporter. Jordan is a member of the NPT treaty and endorses a nuclear-free Middle East.
In August 2007 King Abdullah expressed a desire to push forward in the nuclear energy program during a meeting with local senior officials.
The king stressed that the energy issue is one of the major challenges Jordan faces and that long-term solutions need to be considered.
Last May the Hashemite Kingdom signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Russia under which it will install civilian reactors for energy production and a water desalination device.
In January 2008 French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised King Abdullah France's assistance in creating a nuclear plant.
