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By Josh Lederman
WASHINGTON – A group of Republican Senators led by Florida Senator Marco Rubio is urging the Trump government to halt talks on civilian nuclear power with Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In a letter to President Donald Trump by NBC News, five senators express concern over nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia even before Khashoggi was killed at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul. But they say that his death fueled new doubts about the direction of the kingdom.
"The ongoing revelations about the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as some Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised new concerns about the transparency, accountability and judgment of current decision-makers in Saudi Arabia. ", write the senators. "We therefore ask you to suspend negotiations for a civilian nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia in the foreseeable future."
Senators have threatened to use an obscure provision of the Atomic Energy Act to block any US-Saudi nuclear deal if Trump ignores their call. In addition to Rubio, the letter was signed by GOP Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Dean Heller of Nevada and Todd Young of Indiana.
The National Security Council of the White House did not react immediately.
The Republican effort to limit US cooperation with Saudi Arabia comes amid growing indignation following the assassination of Khashoggi, Washington Post editorialist and Saudi citizen who criticized the government Saudi. The Saudi government insisted for weeks that Khashoggi had left the consulate alive, then reversed his course and admitted his death, claiming that it was the result of a hand – to – hand fight. a failed restore attempt.
Last week, Saudi Arabia changed its history again and admitted that the 15-person team sent to Istanbul had planned its assassination in advance, citing information provided by the Turkish authorities.
The indignation of both parties also increased even before Khashoggi's murder of the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni civil war. The coalition, still receiving support from the US military, has been accused of countless deaths among civilians during bombings of peaceful gatherings, as well as contributing to the country's serious humanitarian crisis.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday evening in a statement that the Trump administration wants to challenge the Saudis again on the issue of Yemen. After Iran-backed Houthi rebels stopped firing missives at Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, "Coalition air strikes must stop in all populated areas of Yemen."
The Trump administration has engaged in nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia all year round with the aim of concluding a cooperation agreement called "123 agreement" that would allow US companies such as Westinghouse to build nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia. Arabia. Billions of dollars are at stake for American companies. In February, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, traveled to Riyadh to start the talks.
Under 123 agreements, countries can purchase nuclear technology and technical information from the United States. The United States already has a similar agreement with their close Saudi ally, the United Arab Emirates.
However, there has long been concern about allowing the Saudis to conduct fuel fabrication activities that could eventually lead the country to develop nuclear weapons, fueling a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has refused to allow restrictions on uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing as part of the deal, pointing out that its arch-nemesis – L & D Iran – had been allowed to pursue some of these activities as part of the separate nuclear deal with Iran.
Trump pulled the United States out of this deal earlier this year.
