Amman: Mohamed ElBaradei, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general, is to visit Jordan this month for talks on the country's plans to obtain nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Energy Minister Khalid Sheraydeh was quoted Monday as saying.
 
ElBaradei would have talks on Amman's desire to obtain atomic technology for peaceful use with the Jordanian Nuclear Energy Commission (JNEC) during his three-day visit starting April 14, the minister told the daily newspaper al-Dustour.
 
Obtaining nuclear energy for peaceful purposes has recently become an issue among Arab countries, particularly in light of Iran's insistence on having such technology.
 
During last week's Arab summit conference in Riyadh, Jordan's King Abdullah II said Arab countries were in "dire need of atomic energy for peaceful use to enable us to build societies and modernize our capabilities in the fields of science, industry, agriculture and health".
 
He also called for the establishment of a Pan-Arab centre for the peaceful use of atomic energy.