France agrees to cooperate with Gulf states to develop nuclear energy

France agreed in principle to work with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the peaceful development of nuclear energy, said a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The statement came after the six member states of the GCC -- Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman -- decided to launch a plan on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

As a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), France has the right to research, develop, produce and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes if it observes the treaty obligations and nuclear security standards, the spokesman told a press briefing here.

The spokesman said France supports the peaceful development and use of nuclear energy, which was recognized as a clear, reliable and sustainable energy resource, as long as the GCC proposes to cooperate with France within the treaty.

Source: Xinhua