IAEA outlines its role in Saudi-US nuclear cooperation agreement
The IAEA said it is aware of ongoing Saudi-US talks on a civil nuclear pact and expects to verify related measures once formally requested.
Key Takeaways
AIThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that it is aware of ongoing discussions between Saudi Arabia and the United States regarding a bilateral agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, as well as plans to request the agency to implement verification measures related to this cooperation.
The agency stated that it looks forward to receiving a formal request for such verification and to working with both the United States and Saudi Arabia to ensure the implementation of these measures. It noted that once the two countries submit an official request, the IAEA Director General will refer the matter to the Board of Governors to obtain the necessary authorization for implementation.
On Wednesday, the US Department of Energy announced that the United States and Saudi Arabia had reached a historic agreement on nuclear cooperation, clarifying that the two countries had signed the agreement along with an accompanying bilateral safeguards agreement. The department added that the partnership agreement will be submitted to Congress for review.