The Saudi government on Monday approved joining the Nuclear Safety Convention, the UN nuclear watchdog agency's pact on maintaining safety in nuclear power plants.
In its weekly meeting, the cabinet approved accession to the 1994 convention, which has 66 members and is overseen by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the official SPA news agency reported.
The world's number two oil producer, Saudi Arabia does not operate any nuclear plants but it is believed to have an interest in developing nuclear energy.
Riyadh signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Washington in 2008, and has been in talks with Paris over the last two years for a similar agreement.
But last week senior oil ministry official Mohammad al-Sabban said the country was not interested in nuclear power.
The UN convention sets certain safety standards for the operation of nuclear plants and commits parties to adhere to them, though it lacks any enforcement powers beyond the pressure from other signatories.
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