Kuwait Fears Eco-threat from Iran Reactor

World Tribune.com:

For the first time, a Gulf Arab country has expressed concern over the construction of a nuclear power plant in Iran. Kuwait has expressed worry over Iran's nuclear reactor project in the coastal city of Bushehr. Officials said Bushehr could release nuclear waste in the air or water in the northern Gulf that could affect the sheikdom. READ MORE

"It could be a serious environmental catastrophe if operated without observing safety standards," Basel Al Rashed, director of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, said.

Al Rashed told parliament's Environment Committee that he has discussed Bushehr with the International Atomic Energy Agency, meant to supervise the Iranian nuclear facility. He said the IAEA was urged to ensure that Bushehr would not become an environmental hazard in the region.

[On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Kuwait met in Teheran to discuss cooperation as well as border issues. Reports from Teheran did not mention Bushehr, which was discussed in a meeting by Iranian senior officials in Moscow.]

Bushehr is located 300 kilometers from Kuwait. Western diplomatic sources said the sheikdom has been briefed by the United States on Bushehr's threat to the environment in the region.

The sources said the testimony to parliament was the first time a Kuwaiti or GCC official expressed concern over Bushehr. The GCC has formally supported the Bushehr project and refrained from responding to Western concerns over Iran's purported nuclear weapons program.

Al Rashed called on the government and parliament to increase cooperation with the IAEA to "face any future risks," regarding Bushehr. He also urged the sheikdom to accelerate the process of ratifying the Nuclear Safety Convention.

Russia has been the prime contractor of Bushehr, a $1 billion project. Moscow was expected to complete Bushehr and begin full operations in late 2006.

The IAEA has been discussing Iran's nuclear program with other GCC states as well. Diplomatic sources said the Iranian program was discussed during IAEA talks with Saudi Arabia, which has sought to sign an agency protocol that would exempt the kingdom from reporting up to 10 tons of natural uranium or 20 tons of depleted uranium. The protocol would also allow a signator to maintain secrecy of any nuclear facility until six months before operation.

In 2003, Saudi Arabia was said to have issued a position paper that envisioned the acquisition of nuclear weapons. The following year, Riyad was said to have signed an agreement with Pakistan on nuclear cooperation.

Now Saudi Arabia want nuclear technology.