IAEA Chief Asks Saudi Arabia for Safeguards for its Nuclear Reactor

[The SC]

Saturday, 6 April, 2019 - 08:15

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano. (AFP)

Washington - Asharq Al-Awsat

Director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano said Friday that his agency asked Saudi Arabia to agree on safeguards related to nuclear material needed for its first atomic reactor.

Amano said that Saudi Arabia may bring in nuclear material "by the end of the year," although he cautioned that nuclear projects frequently get delayed.

The Argentine-built project lies on the outskirts of Riyadh. Democrats have criticized President Donald Trump for approving nuclear projects with Saudi Arabia before studying the issue properly.

But Amano said there was nothing secret about the reactor and that Saudi Arabia informed the Vienna-based UN body about its plans in 2014.

He said the IAEA has encouraged the Kingdom to put into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement, under which the agency ensures that nuclear material is not being diverted to weapons use.

Saudi Arabia in 2005 signed with the IAEA a so-called small quantities protocol, which exempts countries from inspections if they have no or minimal nuclear programs.

"We have proposed to Saudi Arabia to rescind and replace it by the full-fledged comprehensive safeguards agreement," Amano told reporters in Washington.

"They didn't say no, they didn't say yes, and they are now giving thoughts. We are waiting," he said.

"For now, they don't have the material, so there is no violation," he said.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, has announced plans to spend $80 billion to build 16 nuclear reactors over the coming two decades as it diversifies energy.

The first project, being built by Argentina's state-backed nuclear company INVAP, is a so-called low power research reactor, or LPRR, that is generally used to train technicians.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry told a recent Senate hearing that his department had given the go-ahead for six applications by US companies to do nuclear work in Saudi Arabia.


https://aawsat.com/english/home/art...s-saudi-arabia-safeguards-its-nuclear-reactor

 

[Philip the Arab]

Saturday, 6 April, 2019 - 08:15

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano. (AFP)

Washington - Asharq Al-Awsat

Director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano said Friday that his agency asked Saudi Arabia to agree on safeguards related to nuclear material needed for its first atomic reactor.

Amano said that Saudi Arabia may bring in nuclear material "by the end of the year," although he cautioned that nuclear projects frequently get delayed.

The Argentine-built project lies on the outskirts of Riyadh. Democrats have criticized President Donald Trump for approving nuclear projects with Saudi Arabia before studying the issue properly.

But Amano said there was nothing secret about the reactor and that Saudi Arabia informed the Vienna-based UN body about its plans in 2014.

He said the IAEA has encouraged the Kingdom to put into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement, under which the agency ensures that nuclear material is not being diverted to weapons use.

Saudi Arabia in 2005 signed with the IAEA a so-called small quantities protocol, which exempts countries from inspections if they have no or minimal nuclear programs.

"We have proposed to Saudi Arabia to rescind and replace it by the full-fledged comprehensive safeguards agreement," Amano told reporters in Washington.

"They didn't say no, they didn't say yes, and they are now giving thoughts. We are waiting," he said.

"For now, they don't have the material, so there is no violation," he said.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, has announced plans to spend $80 billion to build 16 nuclear reactors over the coming two decades as it diversifies energy.

The first project, being built by Argentina's state-backed nuclear company INVAP, is a so-called low power research reactor, or LPRR, that is generally used to train technicians.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry told a recent Senate hearing that his department had given the go-ahead for six applications by US companies to do nuclear work in Saudi Arabia.


https://aawsat.com/english/home/art...s-saudi-arabia-safeguards-its-nuclear-reactor

I heard Saudi Arabia had a lot of Uranium underground but can you confirm this?

 

[The SC]

I heard Saudi Arabia had a lot of Uranium underground but can you confirm this?

Yes 6% of world Uranium reserves is confirmed.. there is Thorium too in KSA....BTW, there is a delegation of around 13 Saudi students sent to study how to make the yellow cake (google it if you don't know what it is)........ in Jordan..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1104706427657043968

 

[Philip the Arab]

Yes 6% of world Uranium reserves is confirmed.. there is Thorium too in KSA....BTW, there is a delegation of around 13 Saudi students sent to study how to make the yellow cake (google it if you don't know what it is)........ in Jordan..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1104706427657043968

Yeah I knew Jordan had a lot of Uranium. Any way Saudi Arabia could make a nuke in secret? Easiest type would be the Gun-type considering you don't really need that much experience or materials.

 

[The SC]

Yeah I knew Jordan had a lot of Uranium. Any way Saudi Arabia could make a nuke in secret? Easiest type would be the Gun-type considering you don't really need that much experience or materials.

Why would Saudi Arabia make nukes in secret?
First, It does not want them.. but if Iran gets it Saudi Arabia will get it too as a deterrent nothing less and nothing more than that.. and a very modern design at that, not the basic one.. Second KSA has many options from where to get the designs and the warhead technology if it so desires.. and most important is the inspections by the IAEA of nuclear plants and materials..So to make nukes in secret now a days is much more difficult than before..but when it comes to national and regional security everything should be on the table..

 

[Fledgingwings]

He,s got an Itch........!

 

[Philip the Arab]

Why would Saudi Arabia make nukes in secret?
First, It does not want them.. but if Iran gets it Saudi Arabia will get it too as a deterrent nothing less and nothing more than that.. and a very modern design not the basic one.. Second KSA has many option from where to get the designs and the warhead technology if it so desires..

Don't you think the US will not allow you?

 

[silver_dragon]

Very nice Mr. IAEA Chief..but why you din't ask the same thing to Israel for so many many years...??

 

[The SC]

Don't you think the US will not allow you?

The US will not allow anyone to make nuclear bombs.. but could it impose its will on North Korea for example?
When it comes to national security and for KSA regional security when we think about the GCC as a whole.. nothing will be able to stand in the way..

Very nice Mr. IAEA Chief..but why you din't ask the same thing to Israel for so many many years...??

That is why I believe Usrael has no nukes but propaganda disseminated by its supporters.. I know from images I saw in the 1973 Ramadan (Yom Kippur)war.. where there were US F-4s armed with US nuclear bombs stationed in Usrael.. why would that have happened if Usrael had nukes of its own like it pretended?.. so for sure it is living under the US nuclear umbrella like most EU and NATO members.. the other proof is that in the 1973 Arab -Usraeli war, there was a nuclear escalation between the US and the then USSR.. food for thoughts..