BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Argentina and Jordan signed a cooperation agreement on the pacific use of nuclear energy Tuesday, the Argentine Foreign Ministry announced.

    The ministry said in a communique that Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana met with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh in the United States on Tuesday, where they signed the agreement.

    The agreement includes cooperation on basic research and applicable areas; production and use of radioactive isotopes; exploration of metallic minerals; design, construction and operation of nuclear energy plants and research reactors.

    "It is the result of negotiations begun last October, after the visit of Jordan's King Abdullah II to Argentina, who agreed with (Argentina's) President Cristina Fernandez to strengthen the ties between both nations in different areas," Taiana explained.

    Taiana is in New York together with Fernandez for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly.

    "Argentina is recognized for its development on the pacific and non-proliferative use of nuclear energy. We are exporters of nuclear technology, and this agreement with Jordan is a recognition of that work and the excellence of our scientists," Taiana said.

    He added that Jordan was introducing nuclear power to generate electricity, and was ready for its first research reactor and radioisotope production.

    The state-owned Argentine National Institute of Applied Research, which has designed and constructed seven research reactors, will bid for the allotment.