Toukan: Jordan is committed to nuclear safety, security criteria

The chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Khaled Toukan, said that Jordan has chosen a site near Qusayr Amra, east of Amman, to construct the country's first nuclear reactor, adding that preparations are underway to study the technical features of the site and the environmental impact of the project.
Delivering a speech for the country at the 58th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, currently being held in the Austrian capital Vienna, Toukan voiced Jordan's full commitment to nuclear safety criteria as well as its keenness to preserve the environment.
He urged all regional countries, including Israel, to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as this would contribute towards ushering in world peace and security and encourage regional countries to focus on economic and social development of their people.
The JAEA chairman praised the role of the IAEA in boosting international cooperation to find practical and scientific solutions to developmental challenges facing the world. He also thanked the IAEA for its support to Jordan and for reviewing the Kingdom's progress in developing nuclear power programme.
On the sidelines of the 58th session of the IAEA, the JAEA signed a two-year agreement with the Russian Federal Agency for Atomic Energy (Rosatom) to develop Jordan's nuclear plant.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Toukan also met with Director General of Rosatom, Sergey Kirienko, and discussed issues pertaining to Jordan's nuclear program.
He also met with the IAEA's Yukiya Amano and other officials and briefed them about the Kingdom's nuclear program.