Azerbaijan, Baku, August 22 / Trend , U.Sadikhova /
The building of the first nuclear power plant in Saudi Arabia is not a new problem for the security of Israel,considering that the United States supports this plan Ephraim Asculai said , a leading analyst on nuclear policy at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
"If the project is supported by U.S., I do not think that this will become a new cause for concern of Israel, in addition to those already existing," Asculai, who worked 40 years in the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Trend by telephone from Tel Aviv.
Minister of Water Resources and Energy of Saudi Arabia Mohammad al-Hossain highlighted the plans of the Kingdom to build the first atomic power plant, Saudi newspaper Al-Watan reported.
United States, a close economic partner of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, supported the plans of Riyadh to develop a national nuclear strategy to be used for peaceful purposes.
Over the past two years, Saudi Arabia and the Arab countries of Persian Gulf, including Yemen, Libya, Jordan and Egypt, have expressed interest in developing a nuclear program, of which primary purpose is to create a strong base of technology, if Iran would create a bomb.
For several years, Tehran has been enriching uranium, which according to Iranian officials, is used for peaceful purposes. However, United States, Europe and Israel consider Iran's nuclear program as Tehran's attempt to create a nuclear bomb.
Therefore, Saudi Arabia's plan to develop its own nuclear program is a response to Iran's steps on uranium enrichment, Israeli Jerusalem Post newspaper reported.
Israel has not voiced its official position concerning this issue yet.
It is necessary to draw a distinction in development of nuclear program in the Middle East, namely, the purposes of nuclear program's use. Therefore, Saudi Arabia's plan will not affect direct impact on Iran, Asculai said.
If the USA is involved in construction of an electric power station in Saudi Arabia, it is unlikely to be used in military purposes. Therefore, Israel should not worry, Asculai said.
Threats of Iranian forces to launch military actions against Israel remain major problem for Israeli security.
Head of the Iranian Revolution Guards Corps, general Mammadali Jafari said that Tehran is able to bomb all Israeli facilities, including nuclear ones if Israeli military actions are launched against Iran.
The USA and EU are also dissatisfied with Iranian position towards Israel.
But Saudi Arabian's intention to build an electric power station is not aimed against Iran as this plan is more aimed at development of nuclear program peacefully in the Middle East, Asculai said.
"It is not undisguised statement towards Iran from technical point of view. But plans in the Middle East can be misinterpreted," Israeli expert said.
Other cause of Israeli quietly treating Saudi Arabian's plan is construction of electric power station amid Saudi Arabian-U.S cooperation within the program of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Israeli media said.
The Israeli ministry of defense published a report several years ago in which it indicated that potential threat for all countries in the Middle East is Iranian striving to turn into a nuclear power in the region, Jerusalem Post said.
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