US and Paraguay sign civil nuclear agreement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement in Washington on Tuesday.

The accord is known as a “123 Agreement,” after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act. The United States has signed such agreements with more than 25 countries since 1954.

Section 123 authorizes the transfer of civilian nuclear technology for energy or scientific purposes if recipient countries comply with International Atomic Energy Agency standards. The United States also secures the right to monitor the use of nuclear material to ensure it cannot be used for military purposes.

Washington has signed similar agreements with Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, among other countries.

Rubio described the strengthening of relations between Washington and Asuncion over the past year and a half, since Donald Trump returned to the White House, as “incredible.”

“What we are looking for is a relationship that not only continues to grow, but becomes something permanent” and is not subject to changes of government, Rubio said during the signing ceremony at the State Department.

Ramirez said Paraguay was looking at bilateral cooperation in security and at cooperation “in our region, globally.”