Israel will not object to the Jordan’s nuclear power plant construction with Russia, due to its positive diplomatic relations with the country, said Alon Liel, former director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israeli charge d’affairs in Turkey.
Russia and Jordan has signed a $10 billion deal for the construction of Jordan’s first nuclear power plant on Tuesday.
The power plant in the country's north will have two reactors with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts of each.
In October 2014, Jordan and Israel signed a natural gas deal, which worth $15 billion. Jordan would export 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas for 15 years from Israel, starting in 2017. However, Jordan suspended talks to will an agreement with BG Group Plc to buy Gaza Strip gas.
'My guess is that Israel will not object. Jordan has diplomatic relations with Israel and is considered here as quite friendly,' said Liel.
'We are speaking of course about nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. I don’t think Israel will help but also don’t think it will object,' added Liel.
Jordan lacks of energy and imports almost all of its electricity from Iraq and Egypt. But because of the violence and instability in both countries, imports of Jordan are under danger.
'Jordan is a close ally of Israel – although for obvious reasons – the alliances is limited to security issues and it is not public but hidden. Nevertheless, Israel doesn’t perceived Jordan as a threat,' said Professor Eyal Zisser, a Syria expert and Dean of the Tel Aviv University Faculty of Social Sciences, adding that 'Now clearly, Jordan has limited resources and capabilities, and the nuclear project will be probably something very limited.'
Jordan and Russia plan to launch first power unit in 2022 and the second in 2026, according to project’s construction schedule.
Russia, Jordan and other investors will finance the project according to statement.
Jordan will have 50,1 percent and the Russian state-owned company,Rosatom, 49,9 percent of the nuclear power plant’s shares.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
murat.temizer@aa.com.tr