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Cairo Climbs the Nuclear Pyramid

[Jerusalem Post] Zvi Mazel - The Soviet Union started its nuclear cooperation with Egypt in 1961 when it built a two-megawatt nuclear research center in Inchass. This is where Egypt began to acquire knowledge and expertise in the field of nuclear technology and to train its first nuclear technicians. In 1986, Egypt was about to issue an international tender to build a nuclear reactor for the production of electricity, but canceled the project following the Chernobyl accident. The program was officially resurrected in September 2006 when Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal Mubarak, announced that Egypt intended to restart its nuclear program for peaceful purposes. The driving force behind that decision was the ongoing nuclear crisis with Iran. Egypt, which is proud of its status as the most powerful Arab country, cannot afford to ignore nuclear technology - today an essential part of a country's power and strength. According to a UN report, Egypt's oil and gas reserves will start to dwindle in 2016, while Egypt's population will have gone past the 100-million mark. While Egypt's original intentions might be for peaceful purposes, military considerations will undoubtedly come later. The writer is a former Israeli ambassador to Egypt.
2008-03-26 01:00:00
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