UN's ElBaradei discusses Jordan's nuclear plans

Amman, Apr 15: The head of the UN atomic watchdog began talks today in Jordan with top officials on how the kingdom can undertake a feasible programme to acquire nuclear energy for civilian purposes, officials said.

They said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed El Baradei, who is on a regional tour, will later in the day discuss the matter with King Abdullah after holding several rounds of talks with energy experts and officials.

Abdullah says his country, which is heavily dependent on imports for its energy needs, wants to acquire the technology under a plan to set up a nuclear reactor by 2015 for power generation and water desalination.

The monarch's recent comments on seeking a nuclear capability came amid growing Arab concern over Iran's uranium enrichment programme, which Tehran says is part of a peaceful nuclear project to produce electricity but which Western nations fear could produce nuclear weapons.

Other Arab states, among them Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have also taken a similar approach and said they also sought nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

REUTERS