Dubai: The UAE and the Russian Federation on Monday signed a bilateral cooperation agreement in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.

The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi by Mohammad Bin Dhaen Al Hamli, Minister of Energy, and Sergey Kirienko, Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom".

The agreement comes in line with the UAE policy on the development of a national nuclear energy programme.

“The agreement signed today has a primary objective to facilitate and strengthen cooperation with the Russian Government and Russian firms in the field of peaceful nuclear energy,” said Al Hamli, adding that "the agreement is consistent with UAE Government policy on the development of peaceful nuclear energy programme in cooperation with responsible governments of expertise in this field”.

Kirienko welcomed the signing, saying that the agreement "creates the legislative basis to further business cooperation, and in particular offer the way to implement the contract signed in August (2012) between Enec and Tenex to supply the first nuclear power plant at Barakah with natural uranium, conversion and enrichment services.”

The agreement constitutes the legal framework through which the implementation of cooperation between the two Governments, and between firms in both countries in the field of peaceful nuclear energy can take place.

It facilitates the transfer of information, technology, equipments and nuclear material. It sets the framework and conditions under which such items can be transferred and used. It is a required framework for the implementation of commercial contracts between the two countries that include the transfer of nuclear material, technology and equipment.

Russian firms are among the main suppliers of nuclear fuel services contracted by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation in August of this year to provide nuclear fuel services. Tenex, a Russian firm, was among the firms contracted to partially supply uranium concentrates, conversion services and enrichment services to Enec.