Egypt says Russia to help revive nuclear program

[BLACKEAGLE]

Russia will help Egypt develop its nuclear power program, Trade and Industry Minister Hatem Saleh said on Monday, signaling that the Islamist-led state will press ahead with its quest for atomic energy.

Egypt froze its nuclear program after the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, but in 2006, the government of deposed President Hosni Mubarak announced it would revive the program.

Five months before Mubarak was swept from power in February2011, his administration announced plans for an international bidding process to build Egypt’s first nuclear power station at Dabaa near the Mediterranean coast.

The agreement on Russian support was reached during a visit to Russia by President Mohamed Mursi last week.

“We spoke on this issue and agreed that the Russians will help us in conducting studies at the Dabaa nuclear station and to develop the experimental reactor in Anshas,” Saleh said.

“There will be a Russian delegation to lay out the details of these issues as soon as possible,” he added.

Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak was quoted by Russian news agencies on Friday as saying Egypt had proposed that Russia participate in construction of a nuclear power plant and in development of the country’s uranium deposits.

Mursi met Russian President Vladimir Putin last week during an official visit to Russia. Saleh denied that Egypt had sought financial support from Russia to ease a severe economic crisis, which saw its foreign reserves drop to a critical low of $13.4billion in March, less than three months’ worth of imports.

Egypt has also been talking to the IMF about a $4.8 billion loan to prop up the economy, shattered by the turbulent transition from Mubarak’s rule that has driven away tourists and investors alike, as well as accepting help from Arab allies and emerging powers.

Qatar and Libya have agreed to provide $5 billion in support. Turkish economic officials and banking sources have said Ankara will transfer within two months the remaining $1billion of $2 billion it pledged last year.

Russian officials said on Friday that Moscow would consider an Egyptian loan request - which one Moscow-based source had put at $2 billion - and that it might also increase grain supplies to Egypt if its harvest reached target level this year.

However, in response to a question on the loan, Saleh said: “There was no request or plea for any assistance from the Russian side and what you heard in some of the media is news that does not deserve a response and is untrue.”

When asked about the loan from Russia on Friday, Saleh said: “We have reached no conclusion on that loan.”

He also said Egypt had not requested aid in the form of wheat. Typically the world’s biggest importer of wheat, Egypt has cut back on wheat imports this year and is hoping for a bumper crop that the agriculture minister said on Sunday could be close to 10 million tons.
Egypt says Russia to help revive nuclear program - Alarabiya.net English | Front Page

 

[RangerPK]

Seems like every one wants to get their hands on nuclear bombs these days.

 

[Syrian Lion]

Morsi: I will never meet any leader that supports the Syrian government..

next month he goes to Iran, China and now Russia

Morsi is a joke...

 

[Silverblaze]

I hope it is for civilian use because people need it. We can satisfy hunger with weapons.

 

[canadian icehole]

Morsi: I will never meet any leader that supports the Syrian government..

next month he goes to Iran, China and now Russia

Morsi is a joke...

Perhaps he was an idealist and naive then reality bit him on his backside.

 

[Syrian Lion]

Perhaps he was an idealist and naive then reality bit him on his backside.

he was trying to please his masters.. now his masters gave him permission, because his master are sick of him asking for money and loans...

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Good for Egypt. Surly, no one would deny the right of Egypt to get an access for civil nuclear energy. Interestingly However, people might think they're gonna build the bomb which is most likely impossible. The IAEA will monitor the program step by step ,so to speak.
@Syrian Lion

No difference between Egypt and Russia on Syria as far as I remember. Why you're turning against him? :/

 

[ResurgentIran]

Nothing wrong with this news.
All nations have right to nuclear energy.

 

[Controlled Pair]

Morsi seems weak to me. Maybe this is something to show some strength.

Interesting though that Morsi has acted more strongly against Hamas than Mubarak ever did.

Strange times in Egypt.

No problem with Egypt developing a civilian nuclear programme.

 

[Syrian Lion]

Good for Egypt. Surly, no one would deny the right of Egypt to get an access for civil nuclear energy. Interestingly However, people might think they're gonna build the bomb which is most likely impossible. The IAEA will monitor the program step by step ,so to speak.
@Syrian Lion

No difference between Egypt and Russia on Syria as far as I remember. Why you're turning against him? :/

Morsi is a puppet... he support terrorism in Syria... didn't you know?