Malaysia signs a nuclear collaboration MOU with the U.S.
With the signing of a memorandum of understanding between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, a nuclear future for Malaysia is back on the table.
In a press release from the Department of State released last week, the MOU, which concerns strategic civil nuclear cooperation, was described as aiming to advance “peaceful nuclear cooperation” and establish “a robust civil nuclear partnership” between the United States and Malaysia.
123 Agreement: This cooperation will first be facilitated by negotiations around ensuing 123 Agreements, which are required by the U.S. Atomic Energy Act for all countries to whom the U.S. has agreed to transfer significant nuclear material or equipment.
123 Agreements establish a legal framework for international nuclear cooperation and ensure adherence to strict nonproliferation requirements. According to the DOE, these negotiations are facilitated by the State Department in concurrence with the “DOE/NNSA and in consultation with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.” Malaysia will become the 51st country to enter into a 123 Agreement with the U.S.
Quotable: “There are many countries in the world—some are in the headlines lately—who have expressed an interest in civil nuclear programs, and this is an example of how it can be done. And we’re very grateful to be able to do it with such a close partner,” Rubio said at the signing of the memorandum, which took place at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 58th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last week.
Tariff tension: The signing of this MOU coincided with new announcements from the Trump administration of potential tariff increases to much of the ASEAN bloc. Malaysia, which stands to face a 25 percent tariff as soon as August 1, has not announced plans to retaliate and is in discussions to reach a balanced trade deal with the U.S.
Despite ongoing tension, Rubio assured ASEAN members that the region will be a “focal point of U.S. foreign policy” in coming years.
Malaysia’s history: The Malaysian Nuclear Agency began operating the TRIGA PUSPATI reactor, the country’s only research reactor, in 1982. While the country engaged with the IAEA extensively and developed detailed plans for a commercial nuclear power sector, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled further plans in 2018 over concerns regarding spent fuel and a perceived lack of domestic scientific expertise.
Malaysia is one of the signatory nations to the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050—a goal that is now more attainable with the first steps taken towards a new nuclear era in the country.
