Egypt Announces It Will Be Going Nuclear
CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt said Monday that it would build several nuclear power plants, moving into the front of a group of nations raising fears of Middle Eastern proliferation with new pushes to develop nuclear energy.
President Hosni Mubarak announced live on national television that Egypt was building the power stations to diversify Egypt’s energy resources and preserve the country’s oil and gas for future generations.
“Energy security is a major part of building the future for this country and an integral part of Egypt’s national security system,” Mubarak said at a ceremony inaugurating the second phase of construction of an electrical power plant north of Cairo.
Jordan, Turkey and several Gulf Arab countries also have announced that they are interested in developing nuclear power programs, and Yemen’s government in September signed an agreement with Houston-based Powered Corporation to build civilian nuclear plants over the next 10 years.
Despite the declarations of peaceful intentions, there are worries that the countries could be taking the first steps toward a dangerous proliferation of nuclear technology in response to Iran’s nuclear program, which the U.S. calls cover for weapons development.
Iran says it only wants energy for civilian purposes and has turned back international demands that it halt uranium enrichment, a process that can produce either electricity or fissile material for a nuclear warhead.
The U.S. State Department said Washington would not object to Egypt’s program as long as it respects the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Countries that are members in good standing of the NPT and enter into agreements with IAEA regarding safeguards for peaceful nuclear energy, we have no problem with that,” spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. “Those states who want to pursue peaceful nuclear energy abiding by their international commitments, that’s not a problem for us … Those are countries that we can work with.”
Mubarak said he would re-establish the Supreme Council for the Peaceful Purposes of Nuclear Power, which would be in charge of the nuclear program. He also said Egypt would seek the help of its “international partners” and the IAEA in building the plants.
Last year, Mubarak’s son, Gamal, called for Egypt to revive plans for a nuclear program that was publicly shelved in the aftermath of the 1986 accident at the Soviet nuclear plant in Chernobyl.
A committee was formed to study the program’s possibilities, and the U.S ambassador said Washington would be willing to help its Mideast ally develop a peaceful program.
At the time, Hassan Yunis, the minister of electricity and energy, said Egypt could have an operational nuclear power plant within 10 years.
Egypt has conducted nuclear experiments on a very small scale for the past four decades, but they have not included the key process of uranium enrichment, according to the IAEA.
Earlier this year, former U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said he supported Egypt’s ambitions but said it would be at least a decade before Cairo could launch a nuclear program and urged Egypt to sign additional protocols allowing for greater inspection oversight.
(AP)
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Oy veh!
October 29th, 2007 at 12:17 pmThese Islamonutters are determined to get the Muslim Bomb one way or another.
(Remember El Baradei is Egyptian…)
This is why we must make an example of Iran, because the other thugocracies of the world will be lining up behind Persia if they get a nuke.
Worst thing is, the Egyptians will be buying it with our money (the Camp David Peace billions!)
Damn! Hell!! I could scream!!!
The Muslim Bomb already exists. It’s in Pakistan.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:42 pmWhat we have here is the escalation of the proxy conflict between the West and the East. Of course one cannot fail to mention the whole Sunni v. Shiite issue. I say good for them! Wait a minute… OH DAMN! Bet you little old Sean and his boss haven’t contemplated the effects of the Muslim Brotherhood on this issue. Mubarak’s our “friend” now but he (or his compatriots) most likely won’t be in control of that country in 10-15 years. Isn’t funny how we never seem to get it right when we support one dictator over another? FYI I don’t want my kids and grandkids to have to deal with this guy’s successors because I strongly doubt they will be so “friendly”. I mean, hasn’t anyone been paying attention to what’s been going on in Northern Africa the past decade or so?
October 29th, 2007 at 12:46 pmWell, as long as Musharaff and Bhutto keep the government out of the hands of Islamist extremists (and India serves as a big deterrent), there isn’t a Muslim bomb per se, unless we let these rogue states like Egypt and Iran get one.
It was another huge mistake of Bill Clinton’s that he let both India and Pakistan go nuclear without saying a word!
October 29th, 2007 at 12:49 pmI am with Sarkozy on that one, you can’t empech these countries to get a civil nuclear power ; which is very different than a military nuclear project ; the stuffs aren’t the same especially uranium dosage for our concern.
Naturally, these projects would be assorted with a maintenance of minimum 20 years contract, that only providers can handle ; it will be the case for Lybia ;
I am not a fan of Khadafi, but people in these countries need this energy ; otherwise they will turn more radically against us, “the rich westerner fat pigs”
October 29th, 2007 at 1:02 pmMerde, franchie!
October 29th, 2007 at 1:08 pmThey don’t need “civil” nuke power–that’s why they built that damn Aswan Dam!
They’re lying, too (it’s called taqiya!)–they want to build bombs.
jenfidel, bloody hell,if they want the bomb they’ll get it through mafiosi ways anyway ; it will be difficult to survey the whole world then !
October 29th, 2007 at 1:12 pmThe problem frenchie does not lie with the “rich westerner fat pigs”.
The problems lie both with the technology they use (most of these countries aren’t capable or willing to maintain the more expensive and complex light water reactors and instead vie for the heavier forms whose by products can and have been used for nuclear weapons) and then the societies they maintain in their countries. Just look at the people who would be taking over Egypt if their internal shift finally completes itself with the Muslim Brotherhood establishing a majority. Can we, as “westerners” really expect them to be friendly with us after our support of a dictator whose imprisoned and executed members of their group just because they challenged his power base? Take that factor and expand it exponentially to accommadate the level of extremism that has grown across Northern Africa and you can see why this is troubling to those that understand international affairs. It’s not a desire to keep the 3rd world in the 19th century but instead a distrust of what the future will bring when the people who align themselves with us are no longer in control. Now the fact that the situation is often created by our own negligence and bungling is a different situation all together.
The problem is that if we don’t support Mubarak and his government, who do we think will step-in in our absence? There’s a reason that most of their infrastructure looks like old Soviet designs from the 60’s and 70’s.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:18 pmas far as Egypt is concerned, yes it is questionable, but if we do not try to control their access to civil energy, they will go back and see our best friend Putin, and he squarily don’t care if the brothers will use it against us
well, I am a bit aware of civil nuclear, I live nearby chimneys, and most of my customers are nuclear engeneers ;
it is essential if these countries get the access to this energy that we get the maintenance, dischargement and chargement of uranium sticks…
which are incredibly difficult and expensive to manufacture ; this is our garanty ; I think, there are only 2 place in EU , one in germany, one in France, the rest is in Russia,; one knows how the russian stuff is credible
October 29th, 2007 at 1:48 pmThe minute we cut off the cash to Egypt, they’ll shut up.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:01 pmThey don’t need this power–I’ve been to Egypt twice.
They don’t use that much electricity– most of the country still lives in the 3rd century B.C.
And who do we trust to monitor these activities and do these things? The U.N.? USA? EU? France? Can anyone attest to the stability of not only our own governments, but also to that of the U.N., the body that lets every two-bit dictator be in charge and whose infiltraded by arms dealers and the likes of al-Taqwa Bank? See that’s the problem. You can’t trust ANYONE as far as you can throw them and the ones you do trust won’t be there long enough to guarantee anything.
And Jen, as far as Mubarak and the bomb go, don’t get me wrong, he’d be just as happy as any dictator to get something like that to use for fending off his exterior enemies. But, his most pressing matter is to come up with a way to ensure his and his son’s power domestically and figuring out a way to marginalize the Brotherhood. Cheap electricity for everyone? He sees that as a start.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:11 pmcomplement : the maintenances happen each 9 month for the 10 first years of exploitation, then they goes to 12 months, and now with the new system each 18 months ; for a chimney, it’s 1 to 3 months, depends on the reparations ; each couple of maintenances , a big maintenance of 6 month is needed ; if it is seriouly followed ; anyway, that the rues here
sure this kind of energy will be expensive for a country like Egypt, but instead of buying arms, it could be envisageable !
it’s not a problem for Lybia, they got the exange money with oil !
but they have to buy back their reffined oil, as does Iran, as does Irak I suppose too…
October 29th, 2007 at 2:11 pmas far nuclear energy is an Areva project (Germany-France society) the society assures the maintenance ; their technicians and engeneers go already to China, to south Africa, UK,Finland,Canada and US !
he, why not giving the contract of surveillance to BlackWaters ?
October 29th, 2007 at 2:25 pmfranchie, honey, I know you’re trying but your English is just terrible.
You can’t translate things literally from French into English–it doesn’t work that way and the expressions are all different.
Pour la derniere fois, ces pays arabs ne veulent pas la puissance nuclear pour l’electricite–ils le veulent pour les bombes!
C’est ca.
For the folks at home in the USA, they don’t want or need nuke power for civilian uses. They want a nuke.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:33 pmThe big tell was Mubarrak saying they wanted to preserve Egypt’s oil and gas reserves…well, they don’t have any oil and gas reserves worth speaking about.
jenfidel, thanks, kind of you
I know they want the bomb, but I still remain positive, intead of always increasing the auctions of defense, we could try to be pragmatic and again and again make them envisage a wealthier future ; you managed to convince Khadafi, then we can still esper …
October 29th, 2007 at 2:55 pmDon’t worry Jen, Franchie is the only one convinced by her own drival. Like the habits of the French Poodle, she consumes her own byproduct.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:00 pmPopol, see ya, quel con tu es !
http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/4967/haddock21vj7.jpg
October 29th, 2007 at 3:13 pm[…] Egypt Announces It Will Be Going Nuclear […]
October 29th, 2007 at 3:24 pmFranchie,
May I remind you how it was we “convinced” Khadafi? It is the only dialogue understood by these (Islamo)tyrants.
October 29th, 2007 at 4:08 pmpopol, you sure were a great deepwaters fifish !
he finally understood with decades of boycotts that he could be richer like his religion fellows, the Saoudi, and his country too, if he collaborated with western countries. :sigh:
October 29th, 2007 at 4:21 pmFranchie,
Again, wrong fish
Check your history…he was ‘convinced’ due to a direct bombing of his personal residence, which killed some of his family, and the threat of further military action. You are right, however, it was very effective. When the thunder rolls in Iran, Egypt will suddenly be quiet.
October 29th, 2007 at 4:44 pm“….he finally understood with decades of boycotts….”
Uh….no….
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/stars5501/f-111_1.jpg
October 29th, 2007 at 4:45 pmyes, too ! but fifish would have become a flying fifish
but he managed Tenere and Lokerbee (not sure though, for the later, it might have been Iranian with lybian hands)
October 29th, 2007 at 5:02 pmWhats a fifish anyway?
All the more reason for the military solution. You have made my case. c’est fin
October 29th, 2007 at 5:20 pmI enjoy reading Frenchie’s posts. His points are understood. I admire him for reading the English and responding. Not an easy thing to do in a foreign language.
October 29th, 2007 at 5:39 pmHa! Ha! what a kippshit!
October 29th, 2007 at 5:59 pmA kippshit and an ass licker.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:34 pmTold me it’s his favorite “pass time”.
What is a political fish? A form of bearded clam? ..and Sullen you still working on your mama?
October 29th, 2007 at 6:52 pmyour mama…. put that Penthouse forum away and get to bed youngster.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:57 pmyou and eric… 9 year olds.
@Kippshit
Of course you don’t know the variants of the bearded clam, your expertise is in the area of the starfish, the chocolate starfish, asslicker.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:24 pmSullen and Pol-ish,
I’ll put the Penthouse Forum away when you retire your Playgirl. …and you know 9 year olds, don’t you Sullen?
You see, I know a bearded clam when I see it and you, political fish, are it’s poster child. Change your name to Pol ish (and leave out those other worthless letters) and you would have a perfect moniker.
You two aren’t very creative and must have an intellect of a starfish. Keep trying though.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:06 pmStill..a kippshit is a kippshit.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:11 pm“Soviet nuclear plant in Chernobyl. ”
…The ME is a Chernobl in the making
October 29th, 2007 at 9:31 pmSully,
does Fifish replace Dan in you nighty walks ?
A kippshit and an ass licker.
Told me it’s his favorite “pass time”.
as a poodle, I love the ass lickers
did I hit your moral again ?
anyway, I had like a definition of it : what is allowed to you that isn’t to the others ?
October 30th, 2007 at 1:36 amhttp://en.rian.ru/world/20071030/85980679.html
India is getting russian nuclear reactors
October 30th, 2007 at 12:56 pmOk, Everyone out there, you have no lives.
You people need a purpose ion life other then discussing whether Egypt goes nuclear or not. it has already began. and trust me EGYPTIAN soldeirs do not need nukes to kick anyones ass…
Peace
November 1st, 2007 at 1:01 amTamer Elfiky
yeah, alike the Darfur refugiees at the borders with Israel
November 1st, 2007 at 3:18 am