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Gas Crisis Fuels Nuclear Energy Debate in German Coalition

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 January 2006, 06:00 CST

Text of report by Nikolaus Sedelmeier entitled "SPD tough in nuclear dispute - 'Phase-out irreversible' - Schavan warns against ending nuclear research - Stoiber supports Glos", published by German news agency ddp on 3 January

Berlin: Russia's gas boycott against Ukraine causes a continuing dispute in the grand coalition over the phase-out of nuclear energy. The initiative of Economics Minister Michael Glos (CSU) [Christian Social Union] for greater use of nuclear energy encounters clear rejection by coalition partner SPD [Social Democratic Party of Germany]. Research and Technology Minister Annette Schavan (CDU) [Christian Democratic Union] in turn warns against the end of nuclear research.

On Tuesday [3 January], Glos repeated his demand that, in view of the gas dispute, phasing out nuclear energy must be rethought. However, he strives for "fair" talks with the SPD and does not want to start a coalition conflict. CSU chief Edmund Stoiber supported Glos. The Bavarian minister president announced that the subject will also be discussed next week in the closed meeting of the federal cabinet. One must "rethink" the phase-out of nuclear energy "in a realistic manner".

SPD general secretary Hubertus Heil, on the other hand, stressed that the coalition treaty is "very unequivocal" with regard to the nuclear phase-out. The parliamentary state secretary in the Environmental Ministry, Michael Mueller (SPD), emphasized that the nuclear phase-out is irreversible. "In the interest of the coalition succeeding, I can only advise Mr Glos not to touch it," said Mueller. The future "really does not lie in nuclear energy". According to today's knowledge, worldwide uranium deposits will be exhausted in about 25 years. Thus the energy policy of the future must concentrate on economical use, increases in efficiency and renewable forms of energy.

Ulrich Kelber, deputy chairman of the SPD Bundestag group, also stressed that the nuclear phase-out has been decided. Incidentally, giving up nuclear energy has nothing to do with gas deliveries from Russia. "Mr Glos should know when a battle is lost," said Kelber.

Research and Technology Minister Schavan, on the other hand, warned against a complete phase-out of nuclear energy. Independent energy supply and reasonable electricity prices are very important. "On this, we must not take refuge in the illusion that regenerative energies are the ideal way. The realistic energy mix is important. Therefore, nuclear energy research must not be discontinued in any field," admonished Schavan.

The Federal Association of German Industry (BDI) and the FDP (Free Democratic Party) supported the nuclear energy friendly position. Carsten Kreklau, a member of the BDI chief executive secretariat, said: "A balanced energy mix is part of a reliable energy supply. Nuclear energy must play a role in this, also in the future." Thus it is necessary to reexamine the extension of the life span of nuclear power plants without ideology. The FDP's energy expert, Gudrun Kopp, demanded that the phase-out of nuclear energy, decided by Red-Green, be corrected as quickly as possible.

Environmental protection associations opposed abandoning the phase-out. Greenpeace nuclear expert Thomas Breuer spoke of "old wine in old skins". Glos can think only of "the answers of yesteryear". The president of the German Nature Protection Association (NABU), Olaf Tschimpke, called the debate "shortsighted and populist".

(Sources: Glos and Stoiber in Wildbad Kreuth; Kelber in SWR (Southwest Radio)'s "Tagesgespraech' and in Berliner Zeitung; Heil on TV channel N24; Mueller on RBB and in the newspaper, Die Welt (Wednesday edition); Kreklau in Berliner Zeitung; Schavan in Leipziger Volkszeitung; Kopp, Breuer and Tschimpke in announcements)

Source: BBC Monitoring European

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