UAE vows transparency in nuclear energy quest

By Stanley Carvalho

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates will work closely with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog for its planned nuclear power programme to assure the world it remains peaceful, its foreign minister said on Sunday.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said the close U.S. ally had discussed its plans with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council among other countries.

The UAE lies across a short stretch of the Gulf from fellow oil exporter Iran, which is facing international pressure to halt its nuclear enrichment programme.

"The United Arab Emirates recognises the special circumstances and considerations that surround not only the deployment of nuclear reactors but also the simple evaluation of such possibility," Sheikh Abdullah said.

"The government of the UAE wishes to make clear its peaceful and unambiguous objectives in respect of its current evaluation of a peaceful nuclear energy programme, as well as the potential future deployment of actual nuclear power generation," he said.

Iran says its nuclear programme is also aimed at generating electricity but the United States and other Western powers say it plans to build atomic weapons.

Unlike Iran, the UAE has said it would not enrich uranium itself but import nuclear fuel for its plants, easing any fears about the purpose of its plan.

Sheikh Abdullah's remarks came in a statement as the Gulf Arab state issued a "white paper" on its nuclear plans.