VIENNA: A planned US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement will not require Riyadh to sign the Additional Protocol granting expanded inspection powers to the UN nuclear watchdog, although alternative measures could provide similar oversight for sensitive activities.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday that adopting the Additional Protocol would represent the “ideal” arrangement. However, Saudi Arabia is preparing to go beyond its existing obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
The United States and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation in July that would allow Riyadh to enrich uranium and construct nuclear reactors using American technology.
IAEA to Gain Additional Verification Powers
Non-proliferation groups have criticised the planned “123 agreement” because it does not include the Additional Protocol, which gives the IAEA additional inspection authority, including access to undeclared locations under certain circumstances.
Nevertheless, Grossi said consultations had produced provisions that would provide the agency with additional monitoring and verification authority.
Those measures would cover sensitive nuclear activities including uranium enrichment, uranium conversion and reprocessing, which can separate plutonium from spent reactor fuel.
Moreover, Grossi said the IAEA’s resulting powers would be “very, very similar” to authorities available under an Additional Protocol, although he provided no further details.
Agreement to Go Before IAEA Board
The Additional Protocol provides the IAEA with broader tools to verify that countries are not diverting nuclear material or pursuing undeclared nuclear activities.
Iran provisionally implemented the protocol between 2016 and 2021 under its nuclear agreement with major powers.
Meanwhile, Grossi said Saudi Arabia and the IAEA were still finalising details of their bilateral arrangements.
Once negotiations conclude, officials will present the agreement to the IAEA’s 35-member Board of Governors for consideration.
