Amman - Jordan and France are to sign a cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the chairman of the Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), Khalid Touqan, said Thursday.

The accord, due to signed on Friday by Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Bashir and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner, covers nuclear-generated electricity, extraction of uranium from mines in Jordan, training and arrangements for nuclear safety, he said.

The JAEC has been talking for months to the French Foreign Ministry and the French Atomic Energy Commission about an accord providing Jordan with nuclear technology.

Jordan and other Arab countries have moved to acquire nuclear technology after Iran insisted on going ahead with its own atomic programme. (dpa)