Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed on Saturday to cooperate in building nuclear power plants, Japanese officials said.
The agreement came during a meeting between Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akihiro Ohata and Hashin bin Abdullah Yamani, chief of the Saudi government's new energy organization, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in Riyadh, Kyodo News reported.
Saudi Arabia plans to build nuclear power plants to counteract possible electricity shortages stemming from population growth and to conserve crude oil resources.
Ohata offered Riyadh assistance in training Saudis in nuclear power generation technology and the compilation of necessary laws.
Further proof of this fact was provided by Obama Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington on April 12-13. However, this goal is unlikely to be achieved in four years.
Christophe Behar
We are preparing now a review of these design options and the decision has to be made in 2012, by the public authorities. ASTRID basic and detailed design will be launched afterwards.
Vladimir Rychin
AREVA will return the foreign workers to the uranium deposits in Niger, which have been evacuated after the September seizure of seven hostages.