Gulf states have right to nuclear energy: UN atomic chief

RIYADH (AFP) – The head of the UN atomic watchdog said on Thursday that the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful ends.

“It is a natural right for the GCC countries to possess nuclear energy in order to use it for peaceful purposes,” said the head of the Vienna-based
International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei.


“There are some 150 countries which use nuclear energy,” he told a joint news conference in Riyadh with GCC chief Abdulrahman al-Attiyah.

During their annual meeting in Riyadh last December, GCC heads of state announced their determination to develop a joint nuclear technology programme for peaceful use under international rules.

AFP