The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a historic agreement that, according to reports, will allow the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear energy program.
The agreement is described as a “peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement” that will provide “significant access for US companies to Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy program,” according to the US Department of Energy.
The text of the agreement has not been made public, but US media have reported that it could allow Saudi Arabia in the future to enrich uranium, which can be used as fuel for nuclear power plants but also as a material for producing nuclear weapons.
Experts say this would be the first time the United States has allowed such a step and that it could increase the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation in an already unstable region.
The US Department of Energy said that, alongside the cooperation agreement, a “bilateral safeguards agreement” has also been signed.
“Together, these two agreements establish the legal foundation for a multibillion-dollar partnership that will last for decades and advance several priority economic and strategic objectives, including preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons,” the statement said.
The Saudi government also issued a statement, emphasizing that the agreement “represents an expansion of existing cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector,” and noted that it follows the Saudi leadership’s visit to Washington last November, according to the Associated Press.
The agreement could bring billions of dollars in benefits to the United States, as American companies may become involved in building facilities for the production of enriched uranium, which could be used as fuel for nuclear reactors but also for nuclear weapons production.
“Rest assured that these agreements meet the highest standards of nuclear safety and nuclear non-proliferation, relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists, developed right here in the United States,” said US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
