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The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a historic agreement, which is expected to pave the way for the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear program.
According to the US Department of Energy, it is a "peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement" that will give US companies "excellent access" to the Saudi nuclear energy program. The full text of the agreement has not been made public, but US media reports that it could give Saudi Arabia the opportunity in the future to enrich uranium, a material that can be used as fuel for thermal power plants, but also for the production of nuclear weapons.
Experts in the field estimate that such a development would be unprecedented for American policy and could increase the risk of nuclear proliferation in a region that remains unstable.
The US Department of Energy announced that, in addition to the nuclear cooperation agreement, a bilateral agreement on safeguards has also been signed.
"Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a multibillion-dollar partnership that spans decades and advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation," the US Department of Energy said in a statement.
The Saudi government also reacted through an official statement, emphasizing that the agreement represents an expansion of existing cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector. Saudi authorities also recalled that this development comes after the Saudi leader's visit to Washington in November last year.
The signing of the agreement comes at a time when tensions in the Middle East have escalated, amid ongoing clashes between the United States and Iran. Saudi Arabia, a longtime ally of Washington, hosts several American military bases that have been the target of Iranian attacks. The announcement also comes just two days after Houthi rebels in Yemen declared a “naval blockade” of the Saudi kingdom.
Although full details of the deal have not been made public, previous media reports have suggested that, following a joint study with the US, Saudi Arabia could be allowed to enrich uranium on its territory, at a plant to be built by American companies. The development is expected to bring billions of dollars in economic benefits to the US, as the enriched uranium could be used for both electricity generation and, potentially, military purposes.
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