Saudi Gazette report

VIENNA — Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman stated on Monday that Saudi Arabia is working with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in building a program for developing human capabilities in the nuclear technology sector.

Prince Abdulaziz made these remarks while delivering the Kingdom's speech at the IAEA conference in Vienna. He indicated that as a result of the program, Saudi Arabia's national capabilities have grown rapidly to keep pace with the best international standards.

The minister indicated the Kingdom's affirmation of its policy on the importance of developing peaceful uses of nuclear technology with the highest standards of transparency and reliability.

Saudi Arabia reiterates the importance of concerted international efforts to implement the treaty' provisions, and stresses the importance of not politicizing non-proliferation issues and preserving the states' rights to benefit from peaceful nuclear technology and to invest in national natural resources.

Prince Abdulaziz referred to the role of the IAEA in monitoring Iran's nuclear program, and stressed the need for Iran to fully comply with the international safeguards agreement with the Atomic Energy Agency.

As an extension of Saudi Arabia's continuous support for the IAEA's efforts, Prince Abdulaziz confirmed that the Kingdom has contributed an amount of $2.5 million to support the agency's initiative to modernize its laboratories.

He added that the Kingdom has contributed to strengthening regulatory capabilities in the nuclear and radiological fields, as well as providing raw resources to the IAEA's member states to ensure the safe use of nuclear technology.

Saudi Arabia also contributed $1 million to support IAEA's integrated action initiative to combat zoonoses to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases of animal origin and to enhance the readiness to respond to it, Prince Abdulaziz said.