Washington, DC

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted His Excellency Ambassador Hamad Al-Kaabi and other officials from the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the U.A.E. Government for a briefing with senior business representatives.  Ambassador Al Kaabi provided an update to the group on the U.S. – U.A.E. 123 Civilian Nuclear Energy Agreement.

Ambassador Hamad Al-Kaabi and the Head of Economic Research of the Executive Affairs Authority, David Scott, provided additional background on the U.A.E. civilian nuclear energy program and the U.S.-U.A.E. nuclear talks that led to the 123 Agreement.  They reassured the group that U.S. companies were very much still in the competition and that Abu Dhabi is optimistic that Congress will allow the deal to be implemented.  Despite French President Sarkozy’s trip to the U.A.E. last week, it was reiterated that no deals with the French in this regard have been signed. Ambassador Al-Kaabi said the U.A.E. planned to build only 3rd Generation Light Water Reactors consistent with the highest standards of safety, maintenance, and technological advancement.

Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council told the group that, “the strategic significance of this deal would be a game-changer in U.S.-U.A.E. relations, vastly deepening the bilateral relationship.”   Mr. Sebright emphasized, that “once this deal is implemented the U.S.-U.A.E. relationship will move to an entirely new plateau of cooperation and sharing, opening the playing field for even more significant high technology transfers.”