Support for the UAE Nuclear Energy Program and the US-UAE 123 Agreement
Support for the proposed UAE plan for peaceful nuclear energy
Support for the US-UAE 123 Agreement
Support for the proposed UAE plan for peaceful nuclear energy
“... the growth of civilian nuclear power seems to me to be essential to meet not just the energy needs, but the climate change requirements... expansion of civilian nuclear power needs to be done according to what I would call the gold standard of safety and security. And I think that the way in which countries like the UAE have pursued their own civilian nuclear power programme with the utmost transparency, the utmost determination to meet the higher standards of safety and security and the utmost determination to work with international bodies is a very, very important signal of the way things should proceed in the future.”
UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband
“The United States welcomes the UAE’s decision to pursue the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The U.A.E. has committed to complete operational transparency and to pursuing the highest standards of non-proliferation safety and security.”
US-UAE Joint Statement, November 17, 2008
“We are very grateful for the important leadership of the UAE in showing the world how nuclear power can be advanced safely, without contributing to nuclear proliferation dangers. The example that the UAE has shown as a state that intends to develop nuclear power based on international sources of fuel services is especially powerful. An IAEA-controlled fuel bank is essential to reducing global nuclear dangers because the same uranium enrichment technology that is used to make nuclear reactor fuel can also be used to make material for a nuclear weapon.”
Senator Sam Nunn, Co-Chairman, Nuclear Threat Initiative
“We have a milestones document that lists around 19 elements, and we advise the member state interested in nuclear power to go step by step through them and self assess. The UAE has taken the milestones components very, very seriously and we have reviewed the progress and there is not much we can say that they are not doing."
Hans-Holger Rogner, Head of the Planning and Economic Studies Section, IAEA,
"UAE can have nuclear power 'within ten years'," Arabian Oil and Gas, April 29, 2009
“If I was going to write a template on how to begin a new nuclear programme and to get the world behind you instead of against you, I would say Abu Dhabi is doing it exactly the right way. It’s best practice multiplied by three.”
Lady Barbara Judge, chairwoman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority,
“UK’s atomic energy chief praises UAE policy style,” The National, November 13, 2008
“The UAE is a superb model for how you deal with having a nuclear power program and removing proliferation concerns. I’ve got the highest regard for what the UAE has done. Not only have they formally given up the capability of having a full-fuel cycle reprocessing and enrichment, they’ve also enacted a series of other safe guards that assume that that program, if it operates, will be very safe. … The US has, I think appropriately, the greatest confidence that the program is one that not only we can live with, I think we ought to be touting it as a model of how to do it.”
David Kay, former top US weapons inspector, April 22, 2009
“The policies and practices adopted by the next states to embark on nuclear-power projects can set a new standard to help correct the damaging Iranian precedent. Central to this new standard should be a shared understanding that the proliferation risks of nuclear energy are manageable as long as countries accept full transparency with enforceable verification and concentrate on the technologies they really need, while staying away from the sensitive parts of the fuel cycle.
“Examples of this are Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, both of which have recently stated unequivocally their intention to forgo enrichment and reprocessing. The UAE has also published a white paper on its nuclear policy underlining its non-proliferation intentions, including acceptance of the IAEA safeguards Additional Protocol. This sets a positive model for the region and beyond.”
Dr John Chipman, Director General and Chief Executive of the
International Institute for Strategic Studies
“The UAE appears to recognize that the expansion of nuclear energy programs in the Middle East is perceived internationally as carrying with it the potential threat of further proliferation. Through added transparency and the explicit adoption of a proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycle, the Emirates appear to be seeking to allay such concerns to the extent possible.”
Leonard S. Spector and Benjamin Radford,
James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
“Algeria, Emirates Plan Nonproliferation-Friendly Nuclear Programs; Egypt Keeps Fuel Cycle Options Open, Rejects Expanded IAEA Monitoring,”
WMD Insights, June 2008
“Some people have been concerned with this explosion of interest in nuclear energy in the Middle East, an area that has seen at least three countries violate their (Non-Proliferation Treaty) agreements and pursue nuclear weapons,’ said Mark Fitzpatrick, a proliferation expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
“But Fitzpatrick said the UAE looks set to follow a different path if it does go ahead with its nuclear program. It has committed to full transparency and plans to import its nuclear fuel, which would be a barrier to building nuclear weapons.
“’The UAE has accepted several conditions that would create a strong wall between nuclear power on the one hand and nuclear weapons on the other,’ he said. ‘They've said they will accept full transparency … and they would not pursue any sensitive fuel-cycle technologies,’ which are necessary in the development of nuclear weapons. And with export regulations tightened and the ports of the UAE strictly controlled, Fitzpatrick said Abu Dhabi was now setting an example for the region.
“‘The UAE is standing as a kind of model and it's creating a positive cascade and it's also a strong contrast to Iran,’ he said. ‘The UAE and Iran are on opposite ends of the spectrum here.’”
“Oil-Rich Emirates Pursue Nuclear Program That Could Be a 'Model' in Persian Gulf,” Fox News, July 22, 2008
“Finnish Environment Minister Paula Lehtomaki has hailed the UAE efforts to access nuclear energy for civil purposes. ‘We are ready to cooperate with the UAE in the field of peaceful nuclear energy because Finland is one of major countries in the peaceful energy industry area’, she said.”
“Finnish minister lauds UAE's peaceful nuclear energy move,”
Emirates News Agency, January 8, 2009
“The United Arab Emirates has embarked on an impressive diplomatic effort to promote the potential for a civilian nuclear energy program, arguing for the need to explore alternative sources of electricity to fuel their rapidly developing economy. While GCC countries have long discussed the need to add nuclear power to their energy mix, the UAE seems to have jumped out ahead, and given the comprehensive diplomatic initiative and well-funded program rolled out in 2008 - seems poised to succeed.”
Dr. Mary Cline, Scholar in Residence
Institute for Near East & Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA)
“Security and the UAE: The Nuclear Option,” INEGMA, December 18 2008
Support for the US-UAE 123 Agreement
"This agreement, the first of its kind, will allow cooperation with the UAE in meeting its domestic energy needs, in a manner reflecting a strong commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. The agreement is a tangible expression of the United States’ desire for close cooperation with the UAE and it is part of a strong and mutually beneficial political, security, and economic relationship."
US Undersecretary for for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher
US-UAE Business Council, June 7, 2010
"This important Agreement reinforces a particularly strong and mutually beneficial political, security, and economic bilateral relationship. The UAE is a valued partner on many issues, cooperating with us in such areas as support for the Palestinian Authority, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. ... By signing this Agreement, the United States and the UAE have taken an important step in building a long and mutually beneficial partnership to enhance nonproliferation and energy security in the region. The proposed Agreement deserves the support of the Congress. ... In sum, the robust nonproliferation features of the UAE 123 Agreement is a significant achievement and an example of a country that has concluded that indigenous fuel cycle capabilities are not needed to fully enjoy the benefits of civil nuclear energy."
US Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher
Congressional testimony, July 8, 2009
“The US-UAE defense and security partnership is extensive and deep in a number of areas critical to mutual interests in the region and around the world. In a volatile and dangerous region, the UAE is a friend and a partner in pursuing stability and a path of moderation. The strength of the proposed UAE 123 Agreement is due, in large part, to the forward-looking policies already adopted by the UAE, as building blocks for its peaceful nuclear energy program. The proposed US-UAE 123 Agreement will materially advance important U.S. interests and set an important example in contrast to the one being pursued by extremists.”
William S. Cohen, CEO and Chairman of The Cohen Group and
former Secretary of Defense and US Senator
The signing of the US-UAE 123 Agreement is a “tangible expression of the UAE’s commitment to develop peaceful nuclear power in a transparent manner consistent with the highest safety, security and non-proliferation standards.” It highlights “the desire of the United States to cooperate with states in the Middle East and elsewhere that make such commitments… This approach stands in direct contrast to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.”
Laura Tischler, spokeswoman, US State Department
"Nuclear pact is on track," The National, April 9, 2009
“There is a policy instrument immediately available to strengthen Washington's diplomatic position on Iran, while simultaneously demonstrating American support for moderate Arab governments that have been put on the spot by Israel's Gaza onslaught. It is an arrangement known as a 123 Agreement …which would enable the United States to sell nuclear technology and equipment to the United Arab Emirates for a civilian nuclear energy program.
“The UAE approach provides a model that not only Iran but also other nations interested in developing nuclear energy should follow.”
Jim Hoagland
“Countering Iran in Gaza and Beyond,” The Washington Post, January 4, 2009
“Two things on the UAE could be a model. One is the 123 Agreement that is, I think, very robust. And then the other is the fact that they are doing it very logical, step-wise and they understand that it's not a one-year program, it will take years to get their laws, regulations, their people trained and implemented. So they understand the timeline and they also have the financial resources to do it right. So I think it can be a good model. ...I've encouraged Bill Travers [former NRC official, now working with the UAE] to keep very good, detailed notes because ... this can serve as a model for other countries.”
Dale Klein, Chairman, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
"Congress should quickly approve the agreement when it is presented. … The main argument for approval of the 123 Agreement involves the merits of the agreement itself and its ability to serve as a model of responsible behavior. A successful and fully safeguarded U.A.E. nuclear program would provide a model for peaceful nuclear technology in the Middle East - and a powerful counterexample to Iran. Unlike the regime in Tehran, the United Arab Emirates has gone above and beyond the call of duty in assuring the world its nuclear program would be peaceful and totally transparent."
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the
Council on Foreign Relations, former deputy national security adviser to President George W. Bush
“A nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and the UAE that was signed on January 15 usefully locks in this commitment [to forgo sensitive indigenous fuel-cycle technologies] in the form of a provision specifying the right of return of technology and material if the commitment is abrogated. It would be inadvisable to hold up the proposed 123 agreement with the UAE on other grounds, such as the past history of Dubai as a hub for the Khan nuclear black market network…
“Delaying the 123 agreement with the UAE would weaken the strong political signal that is sent by offering nuclear cooperation to a country that has accepted all of the nonproliferation conditions asked of it and that can make a legitimate economic case for nuclear power. If a state that forswears any interest in weapons-usable technology and accepts full transparency is thereby able to hasten its prospects for nuclear energy development, this can be a powerful lesson for others and serve as an important regional precedent, in stark contrast with Iran. The Iranian people might well ask their leaders why they pursue policies that lead to increasing isolation and economic sanctions while their neighbors can benefit from peaceful nuclear cooperation with the world.”
Mark Fitzpatrick, "Drawing a Bright Redline: Forestalling Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East," Arms Control Today, January/February 2009
“This agreement creates an important model for the anticipated global renaissance in nuclear energy. Not only does it meet the highest standards of safety, security, nonproliferation, and operational transparency, but it also creates a significant number of jobs for American companies. The United States and the UAE can meet critical economic and commercial goals with the 123 Agreement. US companies would have access to an important and potentially large market—and better position themselves for the global nuclear renaissance. The US government would gain a greater role in supporting the UAE's model for the development of peaceful, civilian nuclear energy. Moreover, the UAE would have access to some of the world's safest and best nuclear energy technologies.”
Danny E. Sebright, President of the US-UAE Business Council
“This is a strong nuclear cooperation agreement and will provide the basis for U.S. companies supplying equipment and services to the nuclear power industry to pursue large commercial opportunities in the UAE ... We and our member companies were most impressed with the seriousness with which the UAE is approaching the important issue of nuclear power in all its aspects, including the non-proliferation and environmental commitments.”
John Engler, President of the National Association of Manufacturers
“The United States and the UAE are both committed to peaceful nuclear programs and work in concert with other nations to discourage the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The UAE’s commitment to operational transparency, participation in the full range of international nuclear non-proliferation cooperation arrangements, the creation of an independent nuclear regulatory authority and the renouncing of any intention to develop a domestic enrichment and reprocessing capability serves as a model for other nations to adopt responsible practices that enhance global nuclear non-proliferation goals.”
Bill Reinsch, President of the National Foreign Trade Council
“For its part, the UAE deal would serve as a powerful counter to Iranian claims that the United States isn't prepared to extend the benefits of nuclear cooperation to Islamic Middle Eastern countries.”
Miles A. Pomper
“Nuclear cooperation deals should be an Obama priority,”
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January 7, 2009
“In the past year alone, the US signed nuclear cooperation Memoranda of Understanding with Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. These agreements symbolize our shared political commitments to pursue cooperation consistent with the highest nuclear standards and to pursue deployment of nuclear power without the transfer of the most sensitive technologies…. I believe that if we create a groundswell of partners, especially in the Middle East, who are committed to transparency and forgoing these technologies, we can further isolate Iran, expose its activities for what they really are, and convince others who might consider following Iran's approach to make the right strategic choice.”
Ambassador Jackie Wolcott
Former US Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation
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