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WASHINGTON: US senators have secured a vote on President Donald Trump’s proposed nuclear power agreement with Saudi Arabia, according to lawmakers involved in the effort.
The agreement, known as a Section 123 Agreement, was submitted to Congress in late August. It entered the Senate record on September 14.
Under the review process, senators have 90 days to consider the agreement and potentially seek a resolution of disapproval.
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said the Senate would have an opportunity to examine the agreement’s potential impact on nuclear nonproliferation.
Merkley said he worked with Democratic Senators Tim Kaine, Ed Markey, Chris Coons and Chris Van Hollen to secure the vote.
Some lawmakers and nuclear nonproliferation advocates have raised concerns about the agreement’s reported terms.
They have particularly questioned whether the pact would prevent Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.
Both activities can provide pathways towards producing material usable in nuclear weapons.
Critics have pointed to the United Arab Emirates’ 2009 civilian nuclear agreement with Washington.
The UAE accepted restrictions on uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel reprocessing. These measures are often described as the “gold standard” for US civilian nuclear cooperation.
The current Saudi agreement has drawn scrutiny because lawmakers say similar restrictions are not included.
The Trump administration, however, says the agreement contains the nonproliferation measures required by US law.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously said Riyadh does not want nuclear weapons.
He has also said Saudi Arabia would seek nuclear weapons if Iran acquired them.
The Saudi position has added to congressional concerns about the potential regional implications of the agreement.
The agreement has also prompted questions about its relationship with Saudi-Israeli normalisation.
Trump has said the nuclear deal will only take effect if Riyadh normalises relations with Israel.
However, congressional aides have said the nuclear agreement itself does not contain such a provision. Reuters reported that this issue remains separate from the text of the pact.
Democratic and Republican senators have also asked the Trump administration to release information about the agreement.
Their request includes two classified “side letters” reached with Saudi Arabia.
The lawmakers said Congress needs access to the material to fully assess the agreement.
They also pointed to previous US nuclear cooperation agreements in which lawmakers said comparable information had been made available.
The expected vote would take place before the 90-day review period ends on December 13.
The Senate’s consideration will focus on the agreement’s nuclear safeguards and its implications for nonproliferation.
The Trump administration supports the pact, while some lawmakers continue to seek stronger restrictions and greater transparency.
[…] US: Senate vote expected on Trump’s Saudi nuclear power pact […]