Macri will ask Bolsonaro to approve the controls of his nuclear program

The announced visit of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to Buenos Aires, scheduled for June 6, will once again confront the former army captain and President Mauricio Macri. "give clear outlines to the new directions of the relationship", as announced by Brasilia, and has put black on the hottest topics, among which the nuclear program that each country maintains in all confidentiality.

Attentive to the demand of the international community, the Macri government has conveyed to Brazil the decision to attack as soon as possible a mechanism to know and calm the atomic program of President Bolsonaro, whose government sphere is largely nourished by the senior government officials. the armed forces, which in the neighboring country have always played a leading role in nuclear development.

A few days ago, Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie announced to his counterpart Ernesto Araújo the decision to modify relations on this plane in order to give greater transparency to the international community on the Brazilian construction project. a submarine with nuclear propulsion. Bounce the water in ten years. This issue will be addressed in the run-up to the presidential meeting, in the Standing Committee on Nuclear Policy (CPPN), at the end of May in Brazil.

To propel a submarine through a nuclear reactor, Brazil must enrich uranium above conventional levels for peaceful use. The consequent development of this enrichment would leave Brazil a step forward in the manufacture of weapons of mbad destruction, if it had perhaps an unsanctified intention. As a result, the major powers do not accept the transfer of this type of technology to developing countries.

From Casa Rosada, they suggested that, in this particular area, the intention is to bring Brazil to discuss the joint adoption of a protocol similar to the safeguards that most countries with nuclear activities have signed before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide badurances as to their peaceful intentions and commitment to the non-proliferation of atomic weapons.

"The international community is concerned that Brazil may be the first country not to rely on the UN Security Council for this type of technology, and we support the Brazilian submarine project, but we believe that we are not the only country to have such a technology. a new institution must be built, "he said. The chronicler a diplomat.

Since 1991, Argentina and Brazil have established a relationship of trust based on the exchange of information and audits conducted by the Argentinean-Brazilian Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Material (Abacc), as well as approved standards for nuclear non-proliferation against the IAEA. but they are still reluctant to subscribe to an additional protocol from this forum to approve more in-depth inspections, including uninformed locations. In doing so, the IAEA could audit sites suspected of containing nuclear material, including military bases. At the same time, Argentina and Brazil are adding a "black list" to a few other non-signatory countries, such as North Korea and Egypt.

The good relations that macrismo has been able to forge with the main atomic powers and the mistrust that subsists on the plan of the new Brazilian president have redoubled the pressure on Argentina to encourage the adoption of the additional protocol alongside Brazil .

"We do not like the current status quo and we need to discuss it, we want to negotiate a new agreement with the IAEA that will take us away from the world of the outcasts."said an official who plunged the issue, pointing out that Argentina had special interests at stake: the fact that the domestic industry manufactures small reactors for export, more extensive guarantees would facilitate the opening of new markets. Brazil, not being an exporter, does not have this cell phone.

There is another reason for relevance. This is the alleged candidacy of Ambbadador Rafael Grossi to the presidency of the IAEA since 2021. This career diplomat enjoys the support of the government and other countries to lead a key body responsible for ensuring the use pacific of these sensitive materials, but to bring out candidates from signatory countries. additional protocol, he may suffer setbacks. In addition, to arrive at this position, Grossi should insist that the country sign this agreement which is consolidated as a "new standard", which would be at least uncomfortable.