The nuclear web thickens (Dan 7)

  

Saudi Arabia, Russia sign nuclear power cooperation deal

Pakistan Today
Written by: iFreePress

Earlier the same month, Saudi Arabia and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding that could enable at least two South Korean-designed SMART reactors to be built in Saudi Arabia.

Ahead of the meeting between the two sides, Saudi’s ambassador to Russia, Abdulrahman Al-Rassi said Moscow plays an “important” role in the Middle East and its presence at the Security Council helps to “maintain stability and security in the world”.

Saudi Arabian and Russian officials took part in a series of high-level talks this month, something which analysts say raises questions about a possible new alliance between Saudi Arabia and Russia – a close American ally and its old, and re-emerging, geopolitical foe.

“Our colleagues from Saudi Arabia have brought a lot of projects to the table. These projects will be introduced to our companies, including the ones involving the construction and upgrade of railways and building underground railway systems”, Novak said.

Similarly, the Saudi king extended an invitation to Putin to visit the Arab country, which Putin also accepted.

The oil exporter now has no nuclear power plants.

The document was signed by the Russian state nuclear corporation, Rosatom’s chief Sergei Kiriyenko and President of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, Hashim Abdullah Yamani during the St. Petersburg global Economic Forum on Thursday, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.

According to Simon Henderson, an specialist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a U.S. think tank, the meeting probably included discussions about oil prices, whose fall has hit Russia especially hard, and the war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is waging a campaign of airstrikes. “We will aim to develop bilateral relations in all sectors”, he added.

Gulf diplomats have suggested that Saudi Arabia could buy a bomb from among their staunch allies to safeguard against a nuclear Iran, which is expected to sign a nuclear deal with world powers in coming weeks.

Nuclear and solar power stations would reduce the diversion of Saudi Arabia’s oil output for use in domestic power generation, leaving more available for export.