Gorbachev in Barcelona

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@AECL.CA>]

NUCLEAR NEWS FLASHES - Thursday, June 3, 2004

INTERNATIONAL:

--PHASING OUT NUCLEAR GENERATION WOULD CAUSE ECONOMIC CHAOS, former Soviet

president Mikhail Gorbachev told a renewable energy conference in Barcelona

today. "I was a witness to the Chernobyl accident, but despite the dangers,

I do not agree with those who argue against nuclear energy," the Nobel Peace

Prize winner said. "Closing down the plants would wreak havoc. How would

countries like Japan and France survive without nuclear energy?" he asked.

Spain's new socialist government has pledged to phase out nuclear in favor

of renewable sources. Gorbachev called for more funding for renewable

energy, but said nuclear remained a "very important source of energy."

Speaking at the Energy & Sustainable Development summit held at Forum

Barcelona 2004, Gorbachev called for "reflection" in the light of rising oil

prices, saying, "we need to find alternative energies."