Jordan’s Goal To Set Example In Nuclear Power Creates Friction With The US
Jun 14, 2010 2 Comments ›› Erik Wong
Jordan’s ambitions for a civilian nuclear power sector, while supported by the United States, also raise concerns in Washington about aggravating Israel and an arms buildup in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday (see GSN, Aug. 9, 2009).
Amman and Washington are preparing a civilian nuclear trade deal that would give Jordan access to U.S. nuclear technology and expertise.
Jordan is seen by the Obama White House as a central ally in the administration’s worldwide effort to encourage the civilian use of nuclear energy, which the administration hopes would help persuade nations such as Syria and Iran to be more open about their controversial nuclear activities.
“I believe nuclear energy in Jordan will be done in such a way where it is a public-private partnership so everyone can see exactly what’s going on,” Jordan’s King Abdullah II told the Journal. “If we can be the model of transparency, it will push others.”
The bilateral nuclear deal would require that Jordan not manufacture nuclear fuel even though the Arab nation has a right to do so under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Amman has been disinclined to give up that right as large uranium deposits were discovered in the country not long ago.
High-ranking Jordanian officials have said that their government cannot give up the right to manufacture atomic fuel for fear of weakening the NPT accord. The officials also maintain that agreeing to not produce fuel would restrict the country’s goal of becoming a “regional nuclear fuel supply and export center.” The country relies almost entirely today on foreign oil to fill its energy demands.
If Amman and Washington cannot come to an agreement on the issue, it could mean an end of the nuclear trade deal, officials on both sides said.
“We believe in the universality of the NPT,” Jordan Atomic Energy Commission chief Khaled Toukan said. “We do not agree on applying conditions and restrictions outside of the NPT on a regional basis or a country-by-country basis.”
Obama administration officials working on the bilateral agreement have continued to push for a Jordanian promise to only buy nuclear fuel from foreign sources to prevent the possibility of domestic nuclear material being diverted to a military program.
Iran has also maintained that it has the right to enrich its own uranium, which has brought the country into conflict with the United States and European powers (see related GSN story today).
U.S. negotiators contend that Amman should give up its right to enrich uranium to ensure the work carries no proliferation threat. Nations with full fuel cycle capabilities that include mining and enrichment of uranium can put their civilian atomic plants to military uses. Jordan would be able mine uranium as part of the U.S. nuclear deal though it would be barred from processing the material into nuclear power plant fuel.
A similar “123″ nuclear trade deal with the United Arab Emirates, finalized late last year, obligated the nation to purchase its atomic fuel abroad (see GSN, Dec. 18, 2009).
Jordan has moved ahead with its nuclear agenda on other fronts, buying a nuclear research reactor in March and negotiating with international atomic firms to purchase the country’s first power plant (see GSN, March 31). This has created friction with Israel, the next-door nation that is widely presumed to possess nuclear weapons.
Abdullah accused Israel of behaving duplicitously by prodding nations such as France and South Korea not to export nuclear technologies to his country.
“There are countries, Israel in particular, that are more worried about us being economically independent than the issue of nuclear energy, and have been voicing their concerns,” Abdullah said. “There are many such reactors in the world and a lot more coming, so (the Israelis must) go mind their own business.”
Israeli officials dismissed claims that they had been working against Jordan’s efforts to purchase nuclear technology.
Jordan has atomic trade deals with eight nations that include the nuclear powers China, France and Russia. However, a nuclear cooperation agreement with Washington is seen as very important as the United States has strong standing within the Nuclear Suppliers Group (Jay Solomon, Wall Street Journal, June 12).
