President Barack Obama approved plans for the U.S. to help the United Arab Emirates become the first Arab nation with a Nuclear Power Industry.
– By Abby Gessner –
In a document released by the White House on Wednesday, Obama said the nuclear cooperation agreement is in U.S. interests. The State Department will send the nuclear power cooperation agreement to Congress, which has 90 days to either amend or reject the deal.
The UAE, a longtime ally in the Middle East, has pushed hard for U.S. support. The country wants nuclear power by 2017 to meet its growing demand for electricity. Although the Emirates are flush with oil, they must import 60 percent of the natural gas they use to generate electricity.