Saturday, December 13, 2008

Obama Should Support U.A.E. Nuclear Power Proposal

The Center supports the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) and President Obama should continue this program to provide emission free nuclear energy to our allies. The program involves the U.S. controlling the fuel, which eliminates proliferation risks. UAE has hired Thorium Power Ltd of Virginia and CH2M Hill to oversee its nuclear power program.

The implementation of this partnership could serve as the model for expanding it to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain. The Center would also like to see the program implemented in Nigeria and other African countries.

The U.S. State Department (Hillary Clinton) will have an important role in getting this program approved in the U.S. Congress. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would also assure that UAE, and any other GNEP participant, would abide by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Such IAEA safeguards should convince Congress, which has concerns about UAE's trading relationship with Iran, to approve the partnership. If Iran had any sense, it would participate in GNEP. America and the Russians have offered, but Iran has refused. (The Wall Street Journal, 12/12/08)

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