Civil Use of Nuclear Power in the Middle East Between Local Aspirations and Regional Obstacles by Dr. Lorenzo Trombetta NATO Parliamentary Assembly Mediterranean & the Middle East Special Group Rome June 2010 NATO Parliamentary Assembly Mediterranean & the Middle East Special Group Rome June 2010

The speech is focused on three main aspects Explicit and implicit motives of Nuclear Aspirant States in the Mediterranean area and the Gulf Policies of sponsor countries that support some states and not others Regional political problems and internal structural difficulties

The Nuclear-Aspirant States Club (official announcement dates)

Explicit motives of the Nuclear-Aspirant States Operation of desalination plants Increasing demand for electrical energy for domestic and industrial uses Diminishing oil and gas riserves Wish to contribute to slowing down global warming

Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau “Israel has always considered nuclear power to partially replace its dependence on coal. (…) We need this energy source because it is environmentally clean” Afp & Ap, 8-9 March 2010

Deputy FM Faysal Miqdad “We need to consider alternative energy sources, including nuclear energy to meet our growing demands”. Reuters 9 March 2010 Syrian President Bashar al-Asad “The future of energy lies in nuclear power, in addition to renewable sources. We too will have nuclear, at least for the production of electricity” La Repubblica, 24 May 2010

Libyan Nuclear Energy Corp. Chairman Ali al-Fashut ”A series of practical measures has been taken to begin projects aimed at using nuclear energy to produce electricity and purify water” Nuclear Threat Initiative (Nti), 6 January 2010

Undeclared motives of Nuclear-Aspirant States The start-up of nuclear programmes for civil uses however also serves to re-launch political heft in one’s sphere of interest. This gives rise to concerns in the neighbouring countries and on the part of regional and international powers, interested in remaining arbiters of the status quo. This is a source of political attrition or even diplomatic tensions.

Jordan proximity to Iraq and Syria could worry the USA and Israel UAE proximity to Iran could worry the USA, Israel and Saudi Arabia

The Civil Nuclear Race (data provided by governments – data provided by experts) Turkey 2014 (2020) Egypt 2015 (2020) Jordan 2015 (2020) Morocco 2016 (2025) UAE 2017 (2020) Algeria 2020 (2027) Libya ? (2050) Source: "Civil Nuclear Energy Proliferation in the Middle East” International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament Septermber 2009