Riyadh: Saudi Arabia and France signed on Tuesday a bilateral cooperation agreement on developing the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
The agreement covers areas of exchanging and qualifying scientific and technical teams and their participation in joint activities of research and engineering and exchange of information.
By signing this agreement, France would be the first country with which Saudi Arabia has inked a deal on developing the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes though the Kingdom has earlier reached understandings about similar agreement with each of the United States and Russia. The new agreement constitutes a vital stage of strategic partnership between Riyadh and Paris.
The agreement was signed from the Saudi side by Hashim Yamani, President of King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy(KACARE), while from the French side it was signed by Eric Besson the French Minister in charge of Industry and Energy.
KACARE was established in 2010 to serve as a centre for renewable research and for co-coordinating national and international energy policy. The City works on achieving sustainable development in the kingdom through exploiting the science, research and industry of atomic and renewable energy for peaceful purposes. The French embassy said in a statement that through this agreement, France will contribute in helping provide the transfer of skills to the Saudi people, adding that the agreement will further enhance Saudi and French industries alternative energy particularly solar energy.
The statement pointed out that the agreement will lay down the basis for extensive cooperation in the application of nuclear energy specifically in the production of electricity, desalination of water, qualifying human resources in the peaceful use of atomic energy and the promotion of nuclear energy applications in the sectors of agriculture, biology, archaeology, medicine and industry.
The agreement underlines that Saudi Arabia has decided to acquire nuclear technology. It also means that the Kingdom may become the first nuclear state in the Arab world.
Meanwhile, experts highlighted Saudi Arabia's decision to acquire nuclear technology.
They noted that it comes within the framework of the decision taken by the GCC Supreme Council during its summit in Riyadh December 2006. The Council decided that a joint study among GCC states is to be conducted for a joint GCC program for acquiring nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
