Alexander Pikayev, Head of Disarmament and Peace Making Department of Institute of World Economy and International Relations

– This agreement will give us access to the Jordanian market

On May 22 2009 Director General of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko and Chairman of Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Khalid Toukan signed an inter-governmental agreement for cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement is aimed at creating a firm legal basis for Russian-Jordanian cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy and covers a wide range of activities: engineering and construction of commercial and research nuclear reactors, water desalination plants and accelerators; prospecting and development of uranium deposits; nuclear fuel cycle, supply of nuclear fuel from Russia and return of spent fuel; development of materials and technologies for nuclear reactors; transfer of technologies of stimulation-based training of personnel for nuclear power plants, water desalination plants, radioactive waster treatment equipment; development of innovative reactor technologies; manufacturing and application of radio-isotopes in industry, medicine and agriculture; conduct of fundamental and applied research in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy; nuclear safety, environment protection and radiation control. The parties will cooperate in the form of exchange of experience and experts and supply of materials, products and technologies. The period of the agreement is 10 years with possibility of prolongation.

From the political point of view, the Jordanian authorities are friendly to the West. So, the West will hardly put sand in the wheels here. I mean that here the possibility of political obstacles is much smaller than anywhere else in the Middle East.

Russia has problems with resources and needs access to uranium reserves in other states. The more suppliers we have the better as this will help us to diversify our sources and to reduce commercial and political risks.

This agreement will give us access to the Jordanian market. If Jordan finds financing, it will be better to have such an agreement than to have nothing at all. Besides, Jordan may serve as a kind of bridge to other more attractive markets. For example, neighboring Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also planning to build nuclear reactors and the agreement with Jordan may become a precedent for them.

This agreement will lay the foundations of nuclear market in Jordan.