00:01The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a nuclear agreement that would allow the kingdom
00:08to develop a civilian nuclear program. The Trump administration hasn't released the details of the
00:14deal, but the framework would give Saudi Arabia the ability to enrich uranium through its own
00:20facility. The agreement was signed alongside what they say are bilateral safeguards against
00:27non-proliferation. In a statement, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted that the highest
00:34standards of nuclear safety and non-proliferation would be upheld. Uranium enrichment can produce
00:41fuel for nuclear power plants, but the same technology can also be used to build nuclear
00:46weapons. Because of this, U.S. lawmakers from both parties have voiced opposition to the idea of a
00:53civilian nuclear project for Saudi Arabia. The deal, which still needs to be sent to Congress
00:59for review, is expected to last 30 years and would involve using American technology to develop the
01:06program. The deal reportedly does not include the International Atomic Energies Agency additional
01:12protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections and verification.
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