U.S Congress is considering the agreement on nuclear energy with Vietnam
10:45 | 11/05/2014
The signing ceremony of an agreement between Vietnam and the United States on cooperation of peaceful use of nuclear energy (Agreement123. (Photo:VNA)
President Barack Obama has sent to the U.S Congress a text of the agreement with a content that he will allow United States to transfer nuclear reactors and technologies for Vietnam.
The duration for the U.S Congress to consider the document is 90 working days and the agreement will officially take effect if there is no any objection.
Nuclear Energy Institute, a representative agency of the U.S. nuclear energy industry, made an estimation that the deal could bring $ 10-20 billion for U.S. exports to Vietnam and create more than 50,000 jobs in the U.S.
The Institute stressed that if the U.S. Congress opposes the agreement, the other countries "would be willing to fill this hole". Russia and Japan have had a lot of ensuring agreements with Vietnam on this subject
Previously, on February 24, President Obama approved the civil nuclear agreement with Vietnam, that opens the way for U.S. enterprises to sell nuclear fuel, technologies, reactors and equipment for Vietnam.
He stressed, the agreement would promote the cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the civil nuclear field without the risks regarding national defence and security.
Vietnam-U.S. Civil nuclear agreement was singed by U.S. Secretary John Kerry and Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in October 2013 on the sideline of the East Asia Summit in Brunei
According to this document, Vietnam pledges not to produce radioactive components serving for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
Vietnam also agrees not to enrich or recycle uranium - the important steps in the process of making nuclear weapons and obey the U.S. standards on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The Nuclear power market of Vietnam is assessed at the second position in East Asia, after China, and estimated to reach a turnover of US$ 50 billions in the next two decades.
Nuclear energy is an option that Vietnam is pursuing to solve today situation of the energy shortage, with a goal that the nuclear energy would meet over 10 % of domestic electricity demand in 2030.
Vietnamenergy.vn