Trump clears path for Saudi civilian nuclear programme with new deal

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has approved a landmark 30-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, paving the way for the kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear programme and potentially enrich uranium under specific conditions.

The agreement, estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, is expected to give US companies a leading role in building Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure. It also provides for the possible construction of a domestic uranium enrichment facility if recommended by a joint US-Saudi technical study.

The Trump administration said the deal would strengthen US oversight of Saudi Arabia's nuclear programme while helping ensure that the technology is not diverted for military purposes.

However, the agreement has drawn criticism from nuclear non-proliferation experts and some members of Congress, who argue that it could increase the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Unlike previous US nuclear cooperation agreements, the deal does not include some of the stricter non-proliferation safeguards that Washington has required from other partners.

The agreement also marks a shift from the policy of former president Joe Biden's administration, which had linked any US-Saudi nuclear cooperation to the kingdom's normalisation of relations with Israel.

The deal is expected to be submitted to Congress for review, although blocking it would require a qualified majority in both chambers.

GAROWE ONLINE