Thursday 10 February 2012

Saudi Arabia and China signed a nuclear cooperation agreement on January 15. It pertains to the joint development and use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes. It was signed by Hashim Yamani, president of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), and Zhang Ping, chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission. This deal is part of a larger package deepening the relationship between the two countries, which was finalized during a two-day visit in Riyadh by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. He declared: “The two countries strengthened high-level exchanges and promoted mutual trust in recent years despite the fact that international and regional situations became complicated and volatile.” Saudi Arabia is now China’s first supplier of oil. It was hoped in Western capitals that new oil deals there and in other Gulf countries might alleviate China’s reluctances to take a firmer stance on Iran, which is China’s third supplier of oil.

Saudi Arabia already has similar agreements with France, South Korea, and Argentina, and has been holding talks with the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic for the same purpose. The Gulf kingdom, which still possesses the world’s largest oil reserves, is making no mystery of its intentions to strongly develop nuclear energy as part of a solution to both diversify the country’s energy mix and meet its growing energy needs (demand is expected to triple by 2032). K.A.CARE was established for that purpose, and will spearhead the development of up to 16 reactors by 2030, for an estimated investment cost of over 100 billion dollars. Saudi Arabia currently doesn't own nor operate any nuclear facility.

Saudi plans are causing a measure of concern because of the strategic tensions in the region. Suspected Iranian efforts towards a nuclear weapon are viewed with considerable anxiety in the kingdom. There are fears that Teheran successfully developing or otherwise acquiring such a weapon would trigger a nuclear arms race in the region. Prince Turki al-Faisal, who no longer holds official office but served as Minister of General Intelligence for 25 years and remains an important figure on strategic affairs indicated late last year that current developments in the region might result in Saudi Arabia seeking nuclear weapons of its own: “Our efforts and those of the world have failed to convince Israel to abandon its weapons of mass destruction, as well as Iran... therefore it is our duty towards our nation and people to consider all possible options, including the possession of these weapons”.

Accédez directement aux nouvelles publications en ligne du CESIM :

"Sanctions and Weapons of Mass Destruction in International Relations", Geneva Papers, IGGS, N°16, July 2010

"Eliminer les menaces nucléaires, à propos du rapport de la Commission internationale sur la non-prolifération et le désarmement nucléaires (ICNND)", entretien avec M. François Heisbourg, par Benjamin Hautecouverture, Chargé de recherche, 19 janvier 2010

"Challenges and Prospects of the Global Regime of Nuclear Non-proliferation", Interview with Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, by Benjamin Hautecouverture, Research Fellow, November 26, 2009

"A Possible International Regime to Cover radiological Materials",  Research Paper for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), Benjamin Hautecouverture, Research Fellow, CESIM, October 2009

"Nuclear Stockpile Management. A Technical and Political Assessment", Research Paper for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), Bernard Sitt, director of CESIM, and Camille Grand, director of the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), October 2009