Kuwait's KISR signs deal with IAEA

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research signed here late Thursday a five-year technical cooperation agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The deal was signed by KISR's Director General Dr. Naji Al-Mutairi and IAEA's Deputy Director General Kwaku Aning on the sidelines of the 57th IAEA General Conference. Kuwaiti Ambassador to Austria Sadeq Marafi said that this was the second agreement to be signed between them, noting that the first 2009-2013 agreement focused on using atomic energy in the medical, industrial, and environment protection fields. The Kuwaiti diplomat lauded the KISR and IAEA cooperation, affirming that the new technical cooperation deal, running from 2014 to 2019, would further enhance relations. On his part, KISR's Director General Al-Mutairi stressed that the new agreement opened new opportunities for both bodies. KISR is eager to cooperate with the IAEA on medical care and the new agreement will allow the institute to benefit from the agency's expertize within various medical fields, he said, adding that the technical cooperation agreement also will allow cooperation with the oil industry field. Cooperation in the domains of environment studies, atomic energy, and groundwater research was also included in the agreement, said the KISR Director. He revealed that the deal would focus on plans to open a center for nuclear research and also a national center for atomic energy data. Speaking on the issue, KISR official Dr. Nader Al-Awadi said that the centers were in line with the IAEA's Governor Council's guidelines for technical cooperation. He affirmed that such centers would help develop national capabilities within the peaceful applications of nuclear energy.