Arab League says members to seek nuclear energy

CAIRO, Sep 6 (Reuters) Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said Arab countries decided at a meeting today to seek nuclear energy.

The decision was made at a time of sensitivity about nuclear issues in the region, as the United States accuses Iran of having a secret programme to develop atomic weapons while Arab states say Israel already poses such a threat.

''The Arab states, as members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, have decided to use the right granted them, and for which they entered the agreement, to use nuclear energy peacefully,'' said Moussa.

''Many countries have now begun to enter this advanced, necessary and critical scientific field,'' he told reporters at an Arab League foreign ministers' meeting. The Arab League represents 22 Arab governments, from Morocco to the Gulf.

No Arab country currently produces commercial nuclear energy, though some have atomic research units.

Moussa called on Arab states to begin creating the institutions and facilities necessary for nuclear research.

He has made similar calls in the past for nuclear energy in the region, citing environmental and economic reasons, but his latest was one of the strongest.

Most in the Arab world see the US and European campaign against Iran as hypocritical, while Israel refuses to allow international nuclear inspections and is thought to have some 200 nuclear warheads.

Iran says it has no intention of making nuclear bombs and wants enriched uranium only to generate electricity. The United States says it does not believe Tehran.

Most Arab governments have called for a peaceful solution to the West's standoff with Iran, in the hope diplomacy will enable Tehran to develop nuclear energy under UN supervision.

If the governmnents speak about nuclear weapons, they say the whole Middle East should be nuclear-free, implicitly including Israel.

US officials say they can only deal with Israel's nuclear activities after a comprehensive West Asia peace.

REUTERS DH PM0206