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Dimona nuclear reactor (Getty Images)
Last update - 11:42 14/04/2008
Israel and U.S. sign nuclear cooperation agreement
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IAEA, Dimona, Nuclear Energy 

Israel and the United States signed an agreement several days ago to step up cooperation in the field of nuclear safety.

The new agreement broadens and upgrades previous accords between the two countries in this field, which were signed over the past two decades. It will enable the Israel Atomic Energy Commission to access most of the latest nuclear safety data, procedures and technology available in the U.S.

The agreement was signed by the director of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Shaul Horev, and the chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dr. Dale Klein.
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Horev also met in the U.S. with his American counterpart, Thomas D'Agostino, who is the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Even though the agreement is essentially technical in nature, it has much greater significance, as many countries, including the U.S., are inclined not to cooperate with Israel on any aspects related to the nuclear field, because Israel is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, the U.S. has agreements on nuclear safety with Israel. Moreover, Israel also has an agreement for limited cooperation on matters of nuclear safety with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and has adopted the stringent standards and safety procedures of the Vienna-based organization.

In recent years Israel has tried to improve and broaden its ties in the nuclear field with as many countries and organizations as possible. This was done in an effort to breach its isolation in this field, but also because of the need for foreign assistance to help ensure safety at the nuclear research compound in Dimona, as well as monitor nuclear waste at the site.

The Dimona reactor - which foreign reports say is used by Israel to develop nuclear arms - was established nearly five decades ago, and is considered relatively old. Experts in the field have expressed concern that safety mishaps could occur there, since it is not under international supervision, due to the classified activities there.

However, Israel has argued that the reactor has been upgraded in recent years and that safety there meets the highest international standards.

The Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) stressed that old reactors in the U.S. underwent similar upgrades and were issued licenses to continue operations for decades more. The IAEC is responsible for operating the Dimona reactor and also for monitoring safety there. The monitoring is done in cooperation with an inter-ministerial body, the Committee for Nuclear Safety.

In recent years, some of the senior members of the IAEC have called for a nuclear reactor here to produce electricity, thus limiting the dependence on imported petroleum and preparing for the forecast shortage in oil reserves.

However, Israel is expected to meet with opposition from abroad to an electricity-producing reactor because of its refusal to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. One of the options raised was to seek an agreement with the U.S. that will allow the transfer of technology for the construction of such a reactor. The U.S. was on the verge of recently signing a similar agreement with India, a country also not a signatory of the NPT, but due to domestic political opposition, an agreement faltered.

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      1.   Treaty is a clear arrogance of the US and 03:44  |  Ray 14/04/08
      2.   Gotta Love the Double Standards 04:26  |  POP 14/04/08
      3.   Ray, a question 04:26  |  Sam 14/04/08
      4.   Hey Ray 05:47  |  To my friend ray 14/04/08
      5.   A change of heart 05:51  |  laskshmi 14/04/08
      6.   to #1 06:00  |  sam 14/04/08
      7.   to number 3 06:10  |  Donald 14/04/08
      8.   #1 Ray 06:12  |  ron 14/04/08
      9.   There`s quite a difference between Israel and.... 06:24  |  R 14/04/08
      10.   re:4 change of heart by Lakshmi 06:36  |  gil62 14/04/08
      11.   #4 How can you say that Israel started all the wars 06:47  |  L A 14/04/08
      12.   Scheme to fet US taxpayers to fix Dimona 07:01  |  Natallie Durson 14/04/08
      13.   Natalie Durson`s all-knowing assertions 08:13  |  Michael 14/04/08
      14.   Ray - Never turn a blind eye to the arabs especially Iran... 08:40  |  viking 14/04/08
      15.   Funny how things play into Iran`s hands 09:03  |  ZAC 14/04/08
      16.   A last little bit of help from the Zionists of Bushco 09:42  |  Clickfool 14/04/08
      17.   Ray the danger isn`t confined to Israel 09:44  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/04/08
      18.   To the LA LA who pretends to be in Israel,post No.11 09:49  |  Hastaroth 14/04/08
      19.   For Margie in Tel Aviv # 17 10:01  |  Clickfool 14/04/08
      20.   DIMONA, A SITTING DUCK 10:30  |  indrajaya 14/04/08
      21.   Lakshmi, you are a pathetic suck up 10:32  |  Prakash 14/04/08
      22.   Israel wants US `human shield` against missile attack on Dimona 10:40  |  Chanalau, Tova 14/04/08
      23.   #22 tova the bad and more tripe about israel 11:22  |  v hardman 14/04/08
      24.   legitimacy 11:23  |  grazia 14/04/08
      25.   #19 IDIOTJAYA 11:29  |  Noble Persian 14/04/08
      26.   To # 18 I do live in Israel! 11:32  |  L A 14/04/08
      27.   #21 Prakash- Lakshmind can marry you 11:56  |  David Wong 14/04/08
      28.   To #21 Your in need of education 12:27  |  Levi 14/04/08
      29.   To #21 Prakash 12:31  |  Jeremy 14/04/08
      30.   The War Against the NPT 13:20  |  Mark Lincoln 14/04/08
      31.   Israel gets Nuclear weapons 13:40  |  Stephen of New York 14/04/08
      32.   A lot of people are overlooking 13:58  |  Stephen of New York 14/04/08
      33.   3 Sam,Iran has never attacked any country.The Iran-Iraq war was 14:25  |  lakshmi 14/04/08
      34.   #14 Iran is not an Arab State... 14:42  |  Ray 14/04/08
      35.   So, not 2008, but 2009 or 2010? 15:03  |  Sharif Hafez 14/04/08
      36.   # 25, NOBLE PERSIAN 15:27  |  indrajaya 14/04/08
      37.   Are you paying attention? 15:29  |  AIC 14/04/08
      38.   5,21,27,fake Lakshmi posts,but 10 Gil. thanks for spotting it! 15:40  |  lakshmi 14/04/08
      39.   Sam, no. 3 15:46  |  W 14/04/08
      40.   #21 and 29 15:46  |  CM 14/04/08
      41.   Yes We Have Nukes 16:06  |  ERSB 14/04/08
      42.   Iran and Hezbollah will also sign a nuclear cooperation agreement 17:54  |  Aounist 14/04/08
      43.   #1 Ray 18:16  |  Observer 14/04/08
      44.   Lakshmi o0n Iran not attacking..... 18:27  |  Observer 14/04/08
      45.   9 R - Keeping Up 18:38  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/04/08
      46.   NOT VALID `TIL RATIFIED 18:41  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/04/08
      47.   us-israel nuclear co-operation 19:10  |  elliot 14/04/08
      48.   no problem #46 20:44  |  bri 14/04/08
      49.   #3 Sam, Israel not threatening anyone??? 20:52  |  Ben Alofs 14/04/08
      50.   Isn`t Dr. Dale Klein a dual citizen? 21:18  |  Julius Rosenberg 14/04/08
      51.   # 49 : Ben Alofs 21:49  |  17 14/04/08
      52.   # 31 & 32 Stephen Of Lincolnshire/England Sour Grapes Ha? 22:31  |  KATHY 14/04/08
      53.   Mark of Lewiston 23:02  |  Mark Lincoln 14/04/08
      54.   For energy use uranium reserves won´t last that much longer 23:08  |  Karl 14/04/08
      55.   #13 Michael, here is the source you asked for 23:23  |  Ben Alofs 14/04/08
      56.   lakshmi (5) first time I agree with you fully. Well said! 23:39  |  Karl 14/04/08
      57.   5,21 and 29, hope the moderator had as much fun as I had and wish 00:29  |  Karl 15/04/08
      58.   Mark Lincoln - Touch and Go 00:57  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/04/08
      59.   Where is Israel burying nuclear waste - Africa? 01:04  |  Maureen Ann 15/04/08
      60.   Karl from Himmelreich 01:36  |  Mark Lincoln 15/04/08
      61.   #2 POP 01:38  |  Moshe 15/04/08
      62.   The hard fact about Iran 01:41  |  Mark Lincoln 15/04/08
      63.   #1 Ray 01:44  |  Moshe 15/04/08
      64.   #16 Clickfool 02:00  |  Moshe 15/04/08
      65.   56 Karl,sorry to disappoint you! 02:12  |  lakshmi 15/04/08
      66.   Can you both quit your nuclear rhetoric 03:57  |  Palestinian Prince 15/04/08
      67.   The Mullahs are smarter than you think 05:22  |  Iranian-American 15/04/08
      68.   bs #3 and #4 05:34  |  mike honcho 15/04/08
      69.   to idiots on both sides of the conflict 08:27  |  by-stander 15/04/08
      70.   Mark, the natural radiation you are talking about 10:28  |  Karl 15/04/08
      71.