May 14, 2008, 17:42 GMT
Amman - Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi on Wednesday opened a meeting of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) at the Dead Sea resort by pledging that Jordan would serve as a 'model' for developing nations seeking possession of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
'Jordan, a long-standing member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ratified as early as 1998 an Additional Protocol, will pursue the nuclear option in full compliance with relevant international treaties and legal obligations and conventions,' he said.
Dahabi defended his country's quest for possession of nuclear know-how for generating electricity and other peaceful uses, citing the lack of conventional energy resources and scarcity of water in Jordan.
The two-day meeting, sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the fledging Jordanian Nuclear Energy Authority, seeks to discuss the GNEP principles and the common targets of the group which comprises 25 countries, including the five major powers in the world's nuclear club.
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