DAR AL ISLAM: NUCLEAR POWER ALL AROUND

Study on joint nuclear plan will be ready in a few months - officials
By Barbara Bibbo', Correspondent

Doha: The study on a joint nuclear programme of Gulf countries may be ready within a few months, Gulf officials said here on Sunday.

"We are in the very first stage of the study on the joint Gulf nuclear programme. It could be completed within a few months to be handed over to a technical team for further follow up," Khalid Bin Ganim, secretary general of the Supreme Council for Environment and Natural Reserves, told Gulf News.

Officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, announced at their last summit in December a decision to go ahead with a shared nuclear programme with peaceful intentions under the umbrella of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A committee appointed to conduct a preliminary study is currently meeting in Doha to set the terms of reference of the programme, which will be forwarded later to a technical team, Al Ganim said.

Representatives of Gulf energy and water authorities, environment protection departments, universities, oil and gas ministries and other concerned authorities are taking part in the discussions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the opening session, Al Ganim said the committee would follow the guidelines of the IAEA and work in constant collaboration with its technical expertise.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Study on joint nuclear plan will be ready in a few months - officials