[GJM] [From: Robert Searle] Britain and France to take nuclear power to the world

[robert searle]

--- Guardian Unlimited
<noreply at guardianunlimited.co.uk> wrote:

> Robert Searle spotted this on the guardian.co.uk
> site and thought you should see it.
> 
> -------
> Note from Robert Searle:
> 
> Maybe of interest
> -------
> 
> To see this story with its related links on the
> guardian.co.uk site, go to
>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/22/nuclearpower.energy1
> 
> Britain and France to take nuclear power to the
> world
> Brown and Sarkozy agree joint measures on energy and
> illegal immigration
> Patrick Wintour, political editor
> Saturday March 22 2008
> The Guardian
> 
> 
> Britain and France are to sign a deal to construct a
> new generation of nuclear power stations and export
> the technology around the world in an effort to
> combat climate change.
> 
> The pact is to be announced at the "Arsenal summit"
> next week when prime ministers Gordon Brown and
> Nicolas Sarkozy will meet at the Emirates stadium in
> north London. 
> 
> Britain hopes to take advantage of French expertise
> to build the power stations that do not rely on
> fossil fuels. Nearly 79% of France's electricity
> comes from its highly-developed nuclear power
> industry. The UK's ageing nuclear plants are ready
> for decommissioning and supply 20% of its energy
> needs. 
> 
> Brown hopes the partnership will create a skilled
> British labour force who would then work in
> partnership with France to sell nuclear power
> stations to other countries over the next 15 years. 
> 
> Britain this week started the process of licensing
> four generic reactor designs, including the
> French-designed Areva run by EDF
> (&Eacute;lectrict&eacute; de France).  
> 
> The Anglo-French plan will be controversial among
> those who believe that nuclear power is too
> dangerous and dirty, and that governments should
> place more emphasis on renewable sources of power as
> part of an international effort to reduce carbon
> emissions by 50% by 2050.
> 
> There is a growing view within the energy industry
> that nuclear power could be the next lucrative
> market. British Energy, the country's biggest
> reactor operator, has become the target of a
> potential &pound;7bn takover bid as the UK tries to
> guarantee a secure future energy supply without
> relying on gas imports from Russia as North Sea oil
> and gas supplies dwindle. 
> 
> The nuclear deal is one of several Anglo-French
> initiatives the two are expected to announce when
> they meet on Thursday.
> 
> They will also unveil a new drive against illegal
> immigration, with a range of measures to tighten
> border controls at the Channel ports and take joint 
> action to remove failed asylum seekers. 
> 
> The immigration package will include:
> 
> · Joint charter flights which would start in
> Britain, make a stop-over in France and take
> migrants back to countries including Iran,
> Afghanistan and Iraq. The French believe they can
> learn from the British on how to implement forced
> and voluntary removals, including of foreign
> prisoners 
> 
> · An increase in the number of lorry checks at
> French and British ports. Ministers believe more
> staff could double the number of lorries searched,
> from 1 million last year. It is claimed 18,000
> illegal immigrants were stopped in trucks in 2007   
> 
> 
> · An increase in the number of French
> undercover officers targeting gangs smuggling people
> into Britain 
> 
> · Confirmation there would be no Sangatte II
> reception centre in Calais to  attract asylum
> seekers and migrants. 
> 
> Sarkozy will use his two-day visit to Britain to
> push for a plan to sign a Europe-wide pact on
> immigration during France's presidency of the EU in
> the second half of the year. The pact would require
> European countries not to grant rights of residency
> to large numbers of illegal immigrants, and sign up
> to an EU policy of returning illegal immigrants
> either by offering incentives to leave voluntarily
> or by use of forced repatriation.
> 
> The summit is also likely to see further steps on
> defence cooperation. Sarkozy is expected to tell
> Brown privately the details of a French deployment
> of special forces to the frontlines in Afghanistan,
> and in return seek British backing for an expanded
> European role in Nato.
> 
> Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008
> 
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