The Wall Street Journal-20080115-Politics -amp- Economics- France Vies for Mideast Nuclear Work
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Politics & Economics: France Vies for Mideast Nuclear Work
PARIS -- Three French energy companies are jointly bidding for the right to build a pair of nuclear-power reactors in the United Arab Emirates, in France's latest pitch to export its nuclear technology to countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
The French government has signed nuclear-partnership agreements with Algeria and Libya. Paris is close to deals with Morocco and Qatar and is talking with Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia about nuclear cooperation.
Today, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is due to land in Emirates capital Abu Dhabi to forge another nuclear partnership. French state- controlled engineering company Areva SA said yesterday in a statement that it would team up with oil group Total SA and energy-utility company Suez SA to supply the two reactors when the tender is officially announced. The reactors would cost an estimated 6 billion euros ($8.87 billion) to build and would start operating in 2016, people familiar with the matter said.
Nuclear energy would allow the rich Middle Eastern country to burn fewer of its valuable oil resources for domestic use and earmark more barrels for export.
Yet analysts warn that providing engineering for civilian nuclear programs could pave the way to military uses.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has stressed that all countries should be treated equally in terms of accessing civilian nuclear technology. "Sharing civilian nuclear technology will be the cornerstone of a pact of confidence between the West and the Muslim world," Mr. Sarkozy said during a recent visit to Algeria.
At Areva, officials add that modern technology and special plant design should allow the company to "lock" new customers into civilian programs by retaining control over the enriched-uranium supply and spent-fuel management.
