Concern high About U.S. UAE Nuclear Pact
Dec 16, 2008
The U.S.-United Arab Emirates civilian nuclear deal has drawn
fire from critics who point to the UAE's ties with Iran as reason for
concern.
The agreement would bring U.S. technology and knowledge to the
United Arab Emirates similar to the agreement reached with India
earlier this year.
"We are confident that the agreement highlights the transparency
of the civilian nuclear energy program the UAE is embarking on and
should be lauded as the gold standard of nuclear cooperation agreements,"
Yousef Otaiba, the emirates' ambassador to the United States, told the
official Emirates News Agency.
Critics of the deal, however, told the Los Angeles Times they
were concerned about Iran's ties with the federation of kingdoms,
which has acted as a transit point for billions of dollars of goods from the West
and Asia sent to Iran.
Federal lawmakers, too, have voiced suspicions about the talks,
the Times said Tuesday. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., introduced
legislation that would require the White House to verify the UAE hasn't acted
as a conduit for banned goods and services to Iran for at least a year
before it can get nuclear technology.
UAE officials acknowledge congressional reluctance, saying they're working closely with lawmakers.
The U.S.-United Arab Emirates civilian nuclear deal has drawn
fire from critics who point to the UAE's ties with Iran as reason for
concern.
The agreement would bring U.S. technology and knowledge to the
United Arab Emirates similar to the agreement reached with India
earlier this year.
"We are confident that the agreement highlights the transparency
of the civilian nuclear energy program the UAE is embarking on and
should be lauded as the gold standard of nuclear cooperation agreements,"
Yousef Otaiba, the emirates' ambassador to the United States, told the
official Emirates News Agency.
Critics of the deal, however, told the Los Angeles Times they
were concerned about Iran's ties with the federation of kingdoms,
which has acted as a transit point for billions of dollars of goods from the West
and Asia sent to Iran.
Federal lawmakers, too, have voiced suspicions about the talks,
the Times said Tuesday. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., introduced
legislation that would require the White House to verify the UAE hasn't acted
as a conduit for banned goods and services to Iran for at least a year
before it can get nuclear technology.
UAE officials acknowledge congressional reluctance, saying they're working closely with lawmakers.