Egypt, IAEA agree on applying guarantees system in ME

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher conferred on Wednesday with Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammad Al-Baradi, currently on a visit to Egypt.

The meeting, which was attended by Minister of Electricity Ali Al-Saiedi, tackled means of promoting cooperation between Egypt and the IAEA especially in the field of applying the guarantees system in the Mideast region as well as applying the nuclear technologies and the peaceful use of atomic energy.

On the project that will be set up between Egypt and IAEA, Al-Baradi said there are a number of important projects regarding the use of atomic technologies in the agricultural field and searching for underground water.

"In this respect, there are two major projects aiming at exterminating the fruit fly and searching for underground water through the use of isotopes," he added.

He pointed out that the IAEA prepared a feasibility study on the possibility of using atomic energy in generating electricity and desalinating seawater.

Regarding worries about radioactive leaks from the Israeli Dimona Reactor, Al-Baradi said that until the present time the IAEA was not informed of any radioactive leaks in the region.

He reviewed with Egyptian officials the IAEA preparedness to conduct monitoring operations at any time they felt afraid of any leaks in the region.