Nuclear lesson on `absolute safety'

VIENNA - Safety risks at nuclear power plants have to be minimised if atomic energy has a future in pumping power to a growing…

VIENNA - Safety risks at nuclear power plants have to be minimised if atomic energy has a future in pumping power to a growing world population, the president of a conference on the Chernobyl nuclear disaster said yesterday.

The German Environment Minister, Ms Angela Merkel, who presided over the four-day meeting on the after-effects of the 1986 Chernobyl accident, said the major lesson to be learnt was that the absolute safety of nuclear plants had to be assured.

The conference, co-sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organisation and the European Commission, was convened to mark the 10th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear accident.

Despite high expectations, it ended light on decisive action and heavy on appeals and, recommendations.

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