NUCLEAR: FRANCE AND LIBYA SIGN LANDMARK PACT
Tripoli, 16 March (AKI) - In what observers are interpreting as a new era of trust between Libya and the international community, France and Libya on Thursday signed a key accord for the peaceful use of nuclear energy - the first such agreement to be signed with Libya since the country gave up its nuclear ambitions for military use more than two years ago.
Libya is looking to use nuclear energy for water desalination plants to meet the country's projected water shortage in the next 15 years, but also for agriculture and solar energy, Libya's National Centre for Nuclear Research and Development supervisor, Maatug Mohamed Maatug said, quoted by BBC.
France's national atomic energy commission's director, Alain Bugat, who signed the pact during a visit to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, was quoted as saying France wants to be "an active and productive" partner in the development of Libya's civilian nuclear programme.
Libya is being allowed to develop a nuclear programme because two years ago it admitted it had secretly conducted an experimental nuclear fuel enrichment programme but gave this up.
Libya is looking to use nuclear energy for water desalination plants to meet the country's projected water shortage in the next 15 years, but also for agriculture and solar energy, Libya's National Centre for Nuclear Research and Development supervisor, Maatug Mohamed Maatug said, quoted by BBC.
France's national atomic energy commission's director, Alain Bugat, who signed the pact during a visit to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, was quoted as saying France wants to be "an active and productive" partner in the development of Libya's civilian nuclear programme.
Libya is being allowed to develop a nuclear programme because two years ago it admitted it had secretly conducted an experimental nuclear fuel enrichment programme but gave this up.
posted by Marko at 3/16/2006 01:34:00 PM
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