Ghanem Al Ali, who chaired the two-day session of the committee that concluded here yesterday, was talking to The Peninsula after the meet, which deliberated the guidelines set by the IAEA, including the identification of the site for the proposed nuclear power plant in the region.
The IAEA guidelines maintains that it is possible for the GCC nations to set up the power plant in a ‘single country or to identify and develop several sites for nuclear power plants in different Gulf States."
Ghanem Al Ali, who is also the Secretary-General of Supreme Council for Environment and Natural Reserves (SCENR) said:" Going by the environment and other safety aspects, Qatar is ready to accept a nuclear power plant. However, it is the political leadership to decide whether Qatar has to stake its claim for a nuclear power plant based on the feasibility study of IAEA", he said.
As of now, Qatar has a world-class radiation protection system. The country has already set up an Early Warning Network system for nuclear accidents and radiological emergencies. Besides, we are working on a comprehensive law on nuclear applications, which is expected to be issued soon, Ghanem Al Ali said.
Significantly, joint statement issued after the two-day deliberations pointed out that ‘almost all the countries in the GCC region have the required infrastructure to set up the proposed nuclear plant; and some are really ideal to launch the project’.
The Peninsula, which also had an access to the ‘confidential’ IAEA document, found that the international watchdog on nuclear power applications has set strict guidelines regarding the setting up of the nuclear power plants in the region.
The guidelines cover the development of multi-lateral agreements on issues such as liability, transport of fuel/spent fuel/ nuclear waste management, long term power off-take, funding for decommissioning, waste disposal, ownership of the plant, cost sharing and penalty for withdrawal.
The guidelines on ‘Legislative Frame Work’ says: “When a State or a group of States has decided to consider the nuclear power option, there is a need to establish a legal framework governing the planned peaceful nuclear activities. The legal framework will include the international legal instruments to which the State or group of States is party”.
