Saudi Arabia and weapons of mass destruction
In 2018
Background
Saudi Arabia officially is a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,[10] and it has also an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.[11] Riyadh has been accused of following nuclear,[7][6] despite being a follower of IAEA,[12] NPT[13] and OPCW.[14]
Nuclear foundations
Riyadh officials had travels to France and Russia and signed several transactions, among the establishment of atomic foundations in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is pursuing its open negotiations about the establishment of atomic foundations in front of the media.[15] Despite that, it has been secretly looking for the establishment of a scientific atomic center with the co-operation of Pakistan,[6][15] which can be associated with purchasing nuclear weapons from Pakistan.[16]
Riyadh declared that it was following a nuclear power program without co-operation of other countries, and according to a royal command in April 2010: "The development of atomic energy is essential to meet the Kingdom's growing requirements for energy to generate electricity, produce desalinated water and reduce reliance on depleting hydrocarbon resources." KA-CARE has been set up in the capital of Saudi Arabia to progress this agenda which is considered an alternative to oil, and also to be the proper agency for treaties on nuclear energy signed by the Saudi kingdom. Besides, it appointed the Finland- and Swiss-based Poyry consultancy company to assist define "high-level strategy in the area of nuclear and renewable energy applications" with desalination.[17]
As well as this, the (South)
Nuclear weapons
In 1988, the international community became suspicious of Saudi nuclear proliferation after it purchased 36 CSS-2 intermediate-range ballistic missiles from China during the Iran-Iraq War. After defecting to the United States in 1994, Saudi diplomat Mohammad al Khilewi claimed that Saudi Arabia started a nuclear weapons program chaired by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz following the Yom Kippur War and that it also financially and technologically assisted the Iraqi nuclear weapons program. After the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia renewed its interest in nuclear weapons, while in 2005 The New York Times claimed that U.S. President George W. Bush indicated to British Prime Minister Tony Blair that he was open to a preemptive invasion to prevent Saudi Arabia from acquiring nuclear weapons.[18]
The
In 2019 the
Saudi Arabia has also shortlisted firms in Russia, China, France, and South Korea as sources of nuclear power.[26]
On 17 September 2020, according to a confidential report compiled by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology (BRIUG), as seen by The Guardian, Saudi Arabia was identified to have enough uranium ore reserves to begin domestic production of nuclear fuel. Saudi Arabia was found heading as another country in the Arab region, after the United Arab Emirates, to begin its own nuclear energy program. Chinese data revealed that Saudi was capable of producing nearly 90,000 tonnes of uranium. Saudi Arabia was working with Chinese geologists to identify the uranium deposits that were located in Saudi's northwestern region, where the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was planning to build the Neom city. There were concerns, where Saudi was under suspicions of producing nuclear weapons, as it lacked transparency. Saudi Arabia followed the IAEA's Small Quantities Protocol regulations which did not allow direct inspections of Saudi nuclear facilities.[18][29] [30]
Nuclear weapons delivery
According to the BBC, Saudi Arabian attempts to acquire ballistic missiles capable of fielding a nuclear warhead go back several decades.[31] The Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force possesses DF-3A (NATO: CSS-2) as a Chinese missile which is used in nuclear weapons delivery.[32] It is regarded as a Chinese liquid-fueled, single-stage, nuclear medium-range ballistic missile. Saudi Arabia bought several dozen (between 36 and 60) of this kind of missile from China in 1987.[33] Riyadh displayed them in a parade in 2014, the first public viewing of the weapons.[34]
Signed | April 10, 1972 |
---|---|
Location | London, Moscow, and Washington, D.C. |
Effective | March 26, 1975 |
Condition | Ratification by 22 states |
Signatories | 109 |
Parties | 180 as of January 2018 (complete list) |
Chemical and biological weapons
Officially, Saudi Arabia is regarded as a party to both the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), and also the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).[11]
See also
- Nuclear energy in Saudi Arabia
- Nuclear program of Saudi Arabia
References
- ^ Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction state.gov Retrieved January 22, 2018
- ^ Disease as a Weapon: Assessing the international methods of ensuring biological weapons nonproliferation portfolio.du.edu Retrieved January 13, 2018
- ^ "Status of the Convention". OPBW. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
- ^ KSA takes first step towards nuclear plant tender: sources reuters.com Retrieved January 16, 2018
- ^ Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia world-nuclear.org Retrieved January 16, 2018
- ^ a b c "Pakistan, Saudi Arabia in secret nuke pact Islamabad trades weapons technology for oil". globalsecurity.org. January 24, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ a b Russell, op. cit, p.72.
- ^ a b "U.S. lawmakers press for oversight of any Saudi nuclear deal". Reuters. February 28, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ "Saudi crown prince: If Iran develops nuclear bomb, so will we". www.cbsnews.com. March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Saudi nuclear weapons 'on order' from Pakistan". bbc.com. January 17, 2018.
- ^ a b "Saudi Arabia". nti.org. January 17, 2018.
- ^ List of Member States News iaea.org Retrieved January 27, 2018
- ^ Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons disarmament.un.org Retrieved January 27, 2018
- ^ 3. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction treaties.un.org Retrieved January 27, 2018
- ^ a b "Disclosure of Saudi's secret nuclear program with Pakistan". tasnimnews.com. January 17, 2018.
- ^ a b "The Mystery of Buying Nuclear Weapons from Pakistan by KSA". yjc.ir. January 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia". world-nuclear.org. February 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Bahgat, Gawdat. Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East. University Press of Florida, 2007.
- ^ Saudi Arabia banks on Pakistan for nukes: BBC report livemint.com January 17, 2018
- ^ "Saudi Arabia orders nuclear weapons to Pakistan". bbc.com. January 17, 2018.
- ^ Pakistan rejects report about Saudi support for N-plan dawn.com Retrieved January 18, 2018
- ^ Iran's Next President and the Third Nuclear Strategy al-monitor.com Retrieved January 18, 2018
- ^ "Saudi Arabia orders nuclear weapons to Pakistan". irna.ir. January 18, 2018.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia pledges to create a nuclear bomb if Iran does". BBC News. March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- OCLC 1088438840.
- ^ a b c Johnson, Keith (February 22, 2019). "Who's Afraid of Saudi Nukes?". Foreign Policy. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ "U.S. Senate proposal would block Saudi path to atomic weapon in..." Reuters. February 13, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Reid, David (February 16, 2019). "Brouillette: US won't give Saudi Arabia key to nuclear weapon building". www.cnbc.com. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma; Kirchgaessner, Stephanie; Borger, Julian (September 17, 2020). "Revealed: Saudi Arabia may have enough uranium ore to produce nuclear fuel". The Guardian. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia's Atomic Ambition Is Being Fueled by a UN Watchdog". Bloomberg. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
- ^ Urban, Mark (November 6, 2013). "Saudi nuclear weapons 'on order' from Pakistan". BBC News. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Cordesman, op. cit, p.10
- ^ DF-3A / CSS-2 fas.org Retrieved February 8, 2018
- ^ "Saudi Arabia unveils part of strategic missile force — a deterrent move against Iran?". Defense Update. May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
External links
- Nuclear Power in Saudi Arabia, World Nuclear Association
- DF-3A / CSS-2, China sold several dozen outmoded DF-3 missiles to Saudi Arabia
- Campaigners warns of “toxic” UK arms deals with Saudi Arabia
- Saada's Governor: Saudi Arabia is Experimenting Toxic Weapons in Yemen's Saada