Rockwood and Kane on a Nuclear-Armed Saudi Arabia

VCDNP Executive Director Laura Rockwood was quoted in an article published by Al Bawaba on 28 February 2019 entitled "Does a Nuclear-Armed Saudi Make the World a Safer Place?"

In the article, the author Ty Joplin reflects on how it was that Saudi Arabia came into possession of peaceful nuclear technology for the construction of nuclear power plants and the prospect of the country using that technology for military purposes. On the latter point, Mr. Joplin turned to Ms. Rockwood, among other experts.

“I think it’s important not to overreact to the possible sale to Saudi [Arabia] of a nuclear power plant. [...] It's a bit of a leap to go from selling a nuclear power plant to suggesting that the country could acquire nuclear weapons - as they don't necessarily go hand in hand."

"The two basic issues here are: [first] under what conditions is the U.S. planning on selling nuclear technology to Saudi, and what exactly are they planning on selling; [and second] if the US is contemplating reducing those conditions, what is motivating those reductions."

In the article, Mr. Joplin also quoted Chen Kane, Director of the Middle East Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, DC Office.

"Nuclear weapons in Saudi Arabia will destabilize the region even further. [...] Riyadh has already all the conventional superiority over Iran it needs to defend itself."

Read the full article here.

Feature image courtesy of Max Pixel, used with license Creative Commons Zero - CC0.