Visiting Finnish president Tarja Halonen was drawn into Australia's nuclear energy debate on the first full day of an official visit Wednesday. Prime Minister John Howard is pressing for the introduction of nuclear power in uranium-rich Australia as a way of reducing the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, but is facing strong opposition.
At a joint press conference with Halonen, Howard held Finland up as a shining example of a country which had harnessed atomic energy, saying it produced 27 percent of the Scandinavian nation's electricity.
"It's fair to say that both the president and I agree that when it comes to dealing with energy and climate change issues, all of the options should be on the table," Howard said.
But Halonen quickly made the point that she had initially opposed the introduction of nuclear power in Finland, and that it currently provided just 18 percent of the country's energy.
"I have said very openly that in the past both the present prime minister and I have voted against it in the parliament — that was 15 years ago."
While Finland was now building its fifth nuclear reactor, which would take energy production to 27 percent, she said she wanted it to be the last.
"The reason why I have been cooling down the situation is that, as soon as our parliament made the decision that our private enterprises can build a nuclear power plant, (they) said the next day: 'We want to get one extra more'.
"And so we said: 'No, no, let's take a different approach'."
A mix of energy resources was needed because there were advantages and disadvantages to all, including nuclear power, said Halonen, who is on a four-day visit.
Australia holds 40 percent of the world's known uranium reserves but has never adopted nuclear power and the government faces strong opposition to its introduction.
Source: Agence France-Presse
