BUSH ADMIN HOSTS NUCLEAR CONFAB

U.S. to power up global interest in nuclear energy
May 21, 2007 (AFP via Yahoo News)

WHO
The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP): United States, China, France, Japan and Russia; US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, host; International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and British government officials, observers; Australia, interested non-attendee.
click to enlarge
WHAT
The GNEP is hosted by the US to stimulate growth in the use of nuclear energy.

WHEN
- First GNEP meeting: May 22.
- 2007: President Bush has pledged $250 million toward the development of nuclear energy.
- The US suggested the GNEP at the March G8 gathering.
- Next GNEP meeting: September

WHERE
- First GNEP meeting: Washington, D.C.
- Next GNEP meeting: Vienna

WHY
- Some find nuclear energy a mass-production source of non-greenhouse gas emitting power, an alternative to fossil fuels, a solution for global climate change.
- The GNEP might serve to help solve the four nuclear problems: nuclear waste disposal, the potential gargantuan harm associated with a nuclear accident, nuclear weapons proliferation, the danger of nuclear facilities as a terrorist target.
- A US proposal: Sharing of nuclear fuel with less advanced nations by GNEP nations under IAEA supervision in return for pledges to recycle fuel and renounce enrichment. France and Russia support the US proposal.
GNEP Goals (click to enlarge)
QUOTES
- Bodman: "An important objective for our meeting today will be to lay out the next steps of the partnership…Many countries have expressed interest in joining GNEP, and we need to discuss how to achieve the major objectives and work with new countries…"
- Alain Bugat, the general administrator of the French atomic energy agency (CEA):
"France understands the aspirations of states that want to tap the benefits of nuclear energy…We're happy that initiatives have been launched in response to such aspirations…"
- Nikolay Spasskiy, deputy director, Russian atomic energy agency: "The implementation of this initative enhances the cumulative effect of the other initiatives and mechanisms in this field…"