Jordan Times
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
PARLIAMENT WATCH
The Lower House is set to endorse the nuclear
energy draft law and amendments to the conscription, fixed assets and military
housing laws today.
Today’s assembly is the first meeting of the current extraordinary session,
which is expected to last two weeks.
The nuclear energy bill, which was endorsed by the Lower House Legal Committee
earlier this week, allows the government to develop a nuclear programme for
peaceful purposes.
The committee also endorsed a draft law on nuclear safety and protection from
nuclear radiation after it amended some articles about the safety of individuals
working in this sector.
The committee decided that employees of nuclear programmes will be given a 30
per cent bonus over their basic salaries because of the dangerous nature of
their work.
Jordan recently stepped up its efforts to develop a nuclear programme for
generating electricity and desalinating water.
The Kingdom imports nearly 95 per cent of its energy from neighbouring Arab
countries, causing a major constraint on the annual state budget.
Earlier this week, Mohammad El Baradei, head of the Vienna-based International
Atomic Energy Agency expressed his support for the Kingdom’s efforts to develop
a nuclear programme.
He said a team of experts would be dispatched to the Kingdom within weeks to
discuss the details of the nuclear project.
“Jordan, which adopts a moderate policy, will provide an example in the region
for the exploitation of nuclear know-how for peaceful uses,” the IAEA chief
said. During talks with Baradei, His Majesty King Abdullah said Jordan, an IAEA
member and a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), will
become a model for peaceful use of nuclear energy in line with international
rules.
Observers say the Lower House will first endorse the conscription law, which
stipulates that 18-year olds will do three months of military service starting
this year.
Deputies are also expected to deliberate an amendment to the Military Housing
Law as well as a draft amendment to the Fixed Assets Law.