G8 fixed on nuclear safety

Only ten minutes were allocated for leaders of the G8 countries to discuss nuclear energy at the summit in Deauville, France. Host President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said, "Many among the G8 think that there is no alternative to nuclear power, even if we are convinced of the need to develop alternative energy, renewable energy."

President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomes Naoto Kan to Deauville

 
Only ten minutes were allocated for leaders of the G8 countries to discuss nuclear energy at the summit in Deauville, France. At the first day's press conference, host President Nicolas Sarkozy of France praised the "courage and dignity" of Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan while the Fukushima Daiichi plant is being stabilised.

"Many among the G8 think that there is no alternative to nuclear power, even if we are convinced of the need to develop alternative energy, renewable energy," said Sarkozy. "But we all want to give ourselves a very high level of regulation on nuclear safety that applies to all countries wishing to use civilian nuclear power," he added, "to make the safety levels the highest ever known."

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kan's message to his peers had been to emphasise the country's commitment to establish the "world's highest levels of nuclear safety, while thoroughly investigating the causes of the accident."

On energy policy: "Japan would proceed with the establishment of a four-pillar policy that adds renewable energy and energy conservation measures to the measures already in place for nuclear energy and fossil fuels."

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News