US-Vietnam nuke deal likely to allow enrichment

WASHINGTON — Congressional aides say the Obama administration has told lawmakers that a nuclear cooperation deal with Vietnam is unlikely to include a promise from Hanoi not to enrich uranium.

The United States calls the no-enrichment pledge the "gold standard" for civilian nuclear cooperation accords. It is modeled on a U.S. deal last year with the United Arab Emirates.

In that deal, the UAE pledged, in return for U.S. nuclear equipment and reactors, not to enrich uranium or reprocess spent nuclear fuel for plutonium. Either of those procedures could be used for nuclear bombs.

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