Egypt, it seems, has decided to follow other middle-eastern nations in pursuing peaceful nuclear energy. Most importantly, Cairo’s decision to build nuclear plants has the endorsement stamp from the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA). The timing of the announcement is critical, particularly when the world awaits a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear standoff but it shows that the Egyptians are desperate to get their hands into the controversial, yet powerful technology.
Egypt is one of the few trusted allies of the United States in the middle-east and its no surprise that Washington is ready to cooperate with Cairo in producing nuclear power to meet the needs of Egypt’s growing economic demands. The Iranians have already described the American attitude towards Egypt’s nuclear ambitions as ‘double standard’. But this is a clear sign that the United States wants to court moderate Islamic nations, like Egypt, in the middle-east but would never allow Islamic hardliners, like the Iranians, to develop nuclear energy. Several other moderate middle-eastern countries like Jordan, Turkey, Yemen, etc, have received UN and US permission to develop nuclear plants.
Many western analysts are of the opinion that Iran’s rise as a regional power due to its nuclear ambitions has added to Cairo’s concerns. Egypt considers itself as one of the major players in middle-eastern politics but Tehran’s political use of the nuclear issue has added to Cairo’s sensitivity. Furthermore, by supporting Egypt and other north African, gulf and middle-eastern countries to have peaceful and civilian nuclear ambitions, the US is trying to isolate Iran from the region and curb Tehran’s extremist views.
But critics have warned that allowing Egypt and other middle-eastern countries to have nuclear energy is the initial part of a massive and ultimately dangerous nuclear proliferation in the world’s most unstable and volatile region. This is in addition to the fact that because Israel is yet to come clean on its alleged nuclear stockpile and its constant refusal to sign IAEA’s nuclear non-proliferation treaty, an arms race in the middle-east is just a matter of time.
Apart from various security issues, the business involved in developing nuclear energy is worthwhile. As Egypt and other middle-eastern countries would need foreign help in developing nuclear plants, the US, Russia, China, France and other technologically advanced countries are surely to benefit from the lucrative investment.
Link: BBC
Image Link: Gulf Times
