Singapore to start feasibility study into nuclear energy

Today Online 19 Apr 10;

SINGAPORE - As more countries seek to explore the use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes, the international community faces a dilemma: How does it juggle a nuclear non-proliferation regime while acknowledging the right of countries pursuing nuclear energy and technology for peaceful uses?

There are still about 20,000 nuclear warheads in the world, many of them on trigger alert, Singapore noted in its statement at the International Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Conference in the Iranian capital of Tehran, which ended yesterday.

And even with the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), which has limited the number of nuclear weapons states (NWS), the world faces proliferation concerns.

For example, the NPT did not stop North Korea from acquiring and testing nuclear weapons, while NPT member Iran has been suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons ambitions.

Moreover, India, Pakistan and Israel, who have or are believed to be nuclear-armed, are not part of the NPT, representing "a lacuna in the NPT regime".

"As interest in nuclear energy grows as a result of rising costs in traditional fuel as well as the concerns over climate change, nuclear technology will continue to spread without checks," the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in the statement. "These would include activities that could be used for a nuclear weapons programme (like) uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing."

"Non-state actors, particularly, terrorists groups, are believed to be keen on acquiring nuclear material and nuclear weapons to launch terrorist attacks."

Both NWS and non-NWS alike should adopt higher standards of nuclear safety and security to ensure that nuclear material and facilities under their control remain safe from theft or terrorist attack, urged the MFA, while export controls need to be tightened to prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems.

A "multilateral fuel assurance mechanism" could also prevent further spread of nuclear know-how, while providing countries interested in pursuing nuclear energy and technology the means to do so.

Singapore, which has not ruled out nuclear energy, will start a feasibility study "which will entail a careful and rigorous examination of the technical, economic and safety aspects of nuclear energy".

"This process is still at a preliminary stage, but we will enhance our cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and nuclear suppliers as our study progresses," said the MFA.