MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina, Brazil to develop nuclear energy agency

Argentina and Brazil are scheduled to address the creation of a bi-national nuclear energy agency when the countries two presidents meet next month in Recife, northeast Brazil, reports the Brazilian press.

"It would be far more efficient to establish a broad bi-national agency which not only was involved in uranium enrichment but also in other opportunities and needs for both countries and the wider South American market in the fields of health, agriculture and pharmaceuticals" Alfredo Tranjan Filho, president of Brazil's Nuclear Industries is quoted in O Estado de Sao Paulo. The agency could become one of the world's leading providers of enriched uranium which is one of the objectives of the Brazilian government added Tranjan. Besides plans from Chile, Uruguay, Peru and Venezuela to set up nuclear plants, Argentina has two in operation, is finishing a third, Atucha II, and is planning to build two more. Brazil has Angra I, Angra II, is planning Angra III and six more by 2030, revealed the Brazilian official. The bi-national nuclear agency is one of 17 agreements reached in the recent meeting by Presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Lula da Silva when the Bi-national Nuclear Energy Committee, Coben was announced. However Coben does not have the full support of the Brazilian establishment, particularly from the Brazilian Navy which for years has been working in the development of a nuclear powered submersible and allegedly is very jealous of its expertise and experience.