nuclear-news

Opposition to nuclear power in Vietnam, but Obama approves nuclear deal

Obama approves Vietnam nuclear deal Sky News Tuesday February 25, 2014 President Barack Obama has approved a civilian nuclear pact with Vietnam which could lead to the sale of US reactors to Washington’s energy-hungry former war foe.

The move by the president formally opened a 90-day review process in Congress. If no legislation is passed contr avening the accord, it will then come into force.

Under the accord, US officials said, Vietnam committed not to produce radioactive ingredients for nuclear weapons and signed up to US nonproliferation standards, which the White House bills as the strongest in the world.

‘I have determined that the performance of the agreement will promote, and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defence and security,’ Obama said in a memorandum to the Energy Department.

Vietnam agreed not to enrich or reprocess uranium, key steps in the manufacture of nuclear weapons, in the deal signed on the sidelines of an East Asia summit in Brunei in October.

It also pledged to seek components for its fuel cycle on the open, international market………

Despite Hanoi’s determination to pursue nuclear power, there has been domestic opposition with many voicing fears that the locations selected for the plants make them vulnerable to earthquakes or tsunamis. http://www.skynews.com.au/world/article.aspx?id=953094Sky News

February 25, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized