Marco Rubio signs civil nuclear pact with Bahrain
The United States, represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Bahrain. This pact enables both countries to collaborate on the advancement of peaceful nuclear technology. Rubio and Bahraini Foreign minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani signed the Nuclear Cooperation Memoranda of Understanding (NCMUs), wich aim to strengthen ties between U.S. and Bahraini nuclear experts, industries, and researchers. The agreement signals a U.S. commitment to partner with nations pursuing civil nuclear programs that are peaceful and non-threatening,implicitly addressing concerns about Iran. The deal also lays the groundwork for a potential “123 agreement,” a more complete pact under U.S. law that would allow further cooperation on technical and scientific nuclear matters. This signing follows a similar memorandum recently signed with Malaysia. Additionally, President Trump is engaging with Bahrain’s Crown Prince as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen relations with Gulf states, continuing his diplomatic outreach in the region.
Rubio signs civil nuclear pact with Bahrain as Trump meets with crown prince
The United States has entered into a pact with Bahrain, allowing the two nations to cooperate on the development of civil nuclear technology.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on Wednesday to sign the new Nuclear Cooperation Memoranda of Understanding.
“The United States is prepared to partner with any nation on Earth that wants to pursue a civil nuclear program that clearly is not geared towards weapons and or threatening the security of their neighbors,” Rubio said, a clear message directed toward Iran.
The White House championed the agreement as a means of “deepening a robust civil nuclear partnership between the United States and Bahrain.”
NCMUs are diplomatic mechanisms embraced by President Donald Trump’s administration that, according to the State Department, “develop stronger ties between the U.S. and partner country nuclear experts, industry, and researchers, and provide high-level support for the U.S. civil nuclear industry and nuclear nonproliferation goals.”
The memoranda with Bahrain will also pave the way for a possible “123 agreement” — a more complex pact under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that would allow the Middle Eastern nation to work with the U.S. on “technical exchanges, scientific research, and safeguards discussions.”
Rubio signed a similar memorandum last week with Malaysia, where a 123 agreement is also currently being negotiated.
“It is about ensuring energy security, driving economic growth and developing our national capacity to harness nuclear energy in a safe, secure and truly responsible manner,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan said following the signing.
Trump is also meeting with Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Wednesday at the White House.
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It is seen as Trump’s latest gesture of goodwill toward the Gulf States, a geographic bloc that he has been explicitly courting since his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in May.
In the evening, the president is expected to have dinner with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the leader of Bahrain’s neighboring state.
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