Middle East Politics.Net » nuclear power

IAEA Clears Syria’s Request for Nuclear Aid

sanajong — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:59:18 +0000

In a move that has alienated the U.S. and some members of the EU, the UN’s nuclear agency, the IAEA, has overridden the West’s protest and granted Syria the aid it had requested for a nuclear power plant.

Syria still under investigation for having had a nuclear reactor, which was destroyed by an illegal air-strike by the Israelis, will be closely monitored by the IAEA as it forges forward with this project.

The West’s continual denouncement of Syria’s protests of innocence and the UN decision to back them regardless is a milestone for Syria and its image. While the West and Israel may not agree, the UN is willing to give this country a chance to prove itself as a true player and ally in the Middle East.

Sade San A Jong

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Iran Proposes Nuclear Plants with Arab Countries

bjrussel — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:42:21 +0000

Sunday, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, stated that Iran is going to offer to build joint light-water nuclear power plants with its Arab neighbors. These states have been historically suspicious of Persian military might–suspicions that have been aroused anew with the development of Tehran’s nuclear program. In reaction to the internationally controversial program, many Arab countries announced plans to develop their own nuclear projects. This proposal therefore hopes to alleviate Arab fears and in the process no doubt strengthen Iran’s claim that its nuclear energy will be used for peaceful purposes only. Russia is assisting Iran in the construction of its nuclear power plant, scheduled to open in 2009.

Bridget Russell

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Is Syria Hiding Anything? Or Completely within Its Rights?

sanajong — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:38:51 +0000

There is an ongoing debate about Syria’s role in the “fight on terror.” There have been repeated disputes about air-strikes in Syria by the US and Israel, and now the UN is claiming it has found low level deposits of uranium at some Syrian sites. Syria’s President Assad continues to assert that Syria is not doing anything wrong or being aided by North Korea.

Sade San A Jong

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Iran Aims for 2009 Launch of Nuclear Plant

bjrussel — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:17:33 +0000

The spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Corporation, Mohsen Delaviz, stated that their first nuclear plant will open sometime in 2009. Russia agreed to build the plant in 1995, but it has continuously been delayed due to payment problems. The Bushehr plant is, interestingly enough, located on the same site as the plant that was planned with the German company Siemens in 1970. This emphasizes the fact that this nuclear plant has been a long sought after achievement. The Russian firm building the plant stated that they would begin work in December 2008, which would put the plant on an “irreversible path” to completion. As Moscow has used the plant as a lever with its relations with Tehran for the past 13 years, the date is much appreciated by the Iranians. The United States of course continues to insist that Iran cease its nuclear program.

Bridget Russell

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Iran Said to Have Nuclear Fuel for One Weapon

bjrussel — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:08:46 +0000

According to nuclear experts, analyzing the latest report from atomic inspectors, Iran has enough material to make one atomic bomb. Experts say that the landmark is primarily symbolic because, although they have enough enriched uranium for a single bomb, the material would have to go through a purification process and be placed in a warhead to be used. Western experts are unsure if Iran has this ability. Moreover, in order to actually perform these processes, it would more than likely need to first kick out the inspectors.

For now, Iran seems to be following its proposed goal of attaining nuclear power, without the warheads. The level of enrichment they have achieved is high enough for nuclear fuel, but the centrifuges would have to be reconfigured, a process taking a few months, to reach the enrichment level necessary for an atomic bomb. The landmark is simply that they now have enough nuclear material to make it happen. The Bush administration now claims that it is unlikely that Iran will make any moves to arm its uranium supply until it has enough for, not one, but several bombs.

Bridget Russell

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Nuclear Cooperation between South Korea and Jordan

mmunguia — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:40:09 +0000

Jordan and South Korea have finalized an agreement that will allow nuclear cooperation for peaceful purposes. This will include nuclear technology transfer, technical assistance, site selection, design, construction and nuclear safety. The Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, Khalid Touqan, and the Korean Ambassador, Bongkil Shin, will initial the agreement. It will be officially signed later in the year.

Deals of this kind have been made with other countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic and China in order to decrease the economic burden that comes with the increase of nuclear exploration.

Mayra Munguia

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Nuclear Power in Turkey

hambolu — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:08:26 +0000

The Associated Press reported that Turkey’s bidding process for a nuclear power plant was somewhat unsuccessful, and that there was only one bidder: Russia. The nuclear power plant would be the first of its kind to exist in Turkey, making this opportunity historic. However, the other five potential bidders stated that Turkey did not give them enough time to prepare for the bid. There was no response cited by Turkey in regards to the comment.

Turkey’s decision comes an interesting time, when fellow countries in the region (such as Iran) are developing nuclear power as an energy source, and while the world is reaching a point where it will not be able to sustain itself if oil is the primary resource of energy. Moreover, it will be interesting to see if the nuclear countries of tomorrow will learn from the nuclear mistakes of the past. Can Turkey assure the global community that there will be no repetition of Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island?

Olorunbunmi Hambolu

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