A senior Saudi scientist said yesterday that the Kingdom has no plans to develop nuclear energy or to become a nuclear power. It is, however, working to expand its radiation monitoring capabilities. Dr. Khaled Al-Eissa, deputy director of the Institute of Atomic Energy Research (IAER) at King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), said that fossil fuel will remain the cornerstone of the countryâs energy policy for the time being. He said that peace-loving Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, had never sought to possess nuclear weapons.
| "Why would we want to do that when we can rent 'em from the Paks?" |
The Kingdom, he said, had been mainly focusing on applied nuclear research for industrial and health purposes. The majority of research projects on which KACST scientists are currently working are funded by local industries including Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Saudi Aramco. âThe Kingdom has imposed stringent restrictions on industries, hospitals and nuclear medicine centers in terms of using nuclear technology,â said Dr. Al-Eissa. |