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Most Germans Oppose Nuclear Power Phase-Out
Berlin (AFP) Jan 14, 2007 Sixty-one percent of Germans canvassed in an opinion poll published on Sunday oppose the government's plans to abandon the use of nuclear power by 2020. They do not believe that it is wise to close the country's 17 nuclear power plants until alternative sources of renewable energy have been developed, said the poll conducted by the Forsa Institute for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. Only 34 percent of respondents said they favoured a rapid nuclear power phase-out, the institute said. An ongoing debate about the feasibility of closing Germany's nuclear power plants, which produce about a third of the country's energy, has intensified as a result of the oil transit row between Russia and Belarus. After the dispute saw Russia shut down its main oil pipeline to Europe last Monday, Merkel remarked: "It shows that we should think carefully about the consequences of shutting down our nuclear energy reactors." Economics Minister Michael Glos said a review of the nuclear phase-out plan was "urgent and necessary". Germany's previous government under Gerhard Schroeder, a coalition of his Social Democrat SPD and the environmentalist Green parties, took the decision to shut the nuclear plants by 2020. Merkel's left-right power-sharing coalition has agreed to honour the phase-out timetable. Though it remains controversial, it is considered unlikely that the Social Democrats will allow a policy reversal. "At least for the current legislative period, there will be no change," Merkel said in a radio interview broadcast on Sunday.
earlier related report "We have to have the doors open for nuclear power plans and to increase the use of renewable energy and bio-energy," he said. Finland is currently in the process of building a fifth nuclear reactor. It is expected to be operational by 2010 or 2011. Pekkarinen, a member of the ruling agrarian Centre Party, had in the past opposed the construction of a sixth nuclear reactor. The share of renewable resources in primary energy in Finland is currently about 25 percent. Pekkarinen said he believed that this share could grow in 20 years to 40 percent.
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Iran To 'Honor Principles' Of Nuclear Control Treaty
Beijing, China (AFP) Jan 05, 2007Iran's top nuclear negotiator said during a visit to China that Tehran will continue to honor the principles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Chinese state media reported Friday. The pledge by Ali Larijani, head of Iran's national security council, contradicted an Iranian government statement earlier in the week that said it was keeping open the option of quitting the treaty. |
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