The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is calling on Saudi Arabia to sign a comprehensive safeguards agreement for nuclear material, as the Trump Administration rushes to deliver nuclear technology to them.
IAEA Director Amano Yukiya noted that the Saudis are not violating
anything yet, and haven’t refused to sign a safeguards agreement – they
just haven’t responded. The Saudis are currently under a small
quantities protocol signed in 2005.
In 2014, the Saudis submitted plans to the IAEA for a nuclear reactor,
and material could be introduced by the end of this year, at which point
they would need to have a proper safeguards agreement.
There is substantial concern that the Saudis might divert nuclear
material to military uses, and that’s got the IAEA particularly
interested in getting their system in place to keep an eye on it.
IAEA Urges Saudis to Accept Safeguards Agreement on Nuclear Material
Saudis need to replace small quantities protocol for new reactor
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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