The United States is not Saudi Arabia’s only option when it comes to developing nuclear energy projects, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said during Crown Prince Mohammed’s two-week visit in the U.S. Reuters quoted the official as saying that if the United States declined to help the Kingdom develop its nuclear power industry, it would lose an opportunity to “influence the programme in a positive way.” This, however, would not stop the Saudis from tapping uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technology: besides the United States., Riyadh is also in talks with companies from Russia, China, South Korea, and others. Cooperation with the United States in the field of nuclear power is only possible for countries that sign the so-called 123 agreement, which stipulates a clear distinction between using nuclear technology for civil and for military purposes, and binds the signee to utilizing the technology for civil purposes only. Energy Secretary […]