The world must find ways to help non-nuclear states obtain civilian nuclear power to meet energy needs and tackle the threat of climate change, British prime minister Gordon Brown said today.
Mr Brown said that Iran was key to proving whether nuclear producers and non-producers can share enriched uranium peacefully to power their economies as the world tries to wean itself off fossil fuels.
"We have to create a new international system to help non-nuclear states acquire the new sources of energy they need," he told a nuclear energy conference in London.
"Because, whether we like it or not, we will not meet the challenges of climate change without the far wider use of civil nuclear power."
The conference brings together more than 100 representatives from 37 countries as well as well as experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear industry, academics and legislators.
Delegates come from nations considering establishing a nuclear programme as well as those with well-developed civil nuclear industries. Countries participating included Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The conference fits into Britain's strategy of helping countries committed to peaceful use of nuclear power while taking a "zero tolerance" stance on the spread of nuclear arms.
Mr Brown called for tougher safeguards against the spread of nuclear weapons, highlighting the risk of more states acquiring nuclear weapons and that they could fall into the hands of militant groups like al Qaeda.
He said Britain would also be at the forefront of nuclear disarmament efforts and said that Britain might be prepared to reduce the number of nuclear warheads carried by its submarine fleet as part of a multilateral negotiation.
Britain says it is ready, under a Nuclear Fuel Assurance programme, to ensure nuclear fuel supplies to countries committed to peaceful use of nuclear power, if supplies from other sources are disrupted for political reasons.
Speakers at the conference, include IAEA Deputy Director-General Yury Sokolov, Khaled Toukan, chairman of Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission and officials from Germany and the Netherlands. IAEA Director- General Mohamed ElBaradei also sent a pre-recorded message.
The United States, Britain and four other powers have offered Iran civil nuclear cooperation as part of a package of incentives to try to persuade Tehran to stop uranium enrichment, which the West fears is aimed at building a nuclear bomb.
Iran says it only wants nuclear power for peaceful purposes and has pledged to press on with its programme.
"Iran is a test case for this new philosophy of the right to civil nuclear power with sanctions for rule breakers," Mr Brown said. "Iran's current nuclear programme is unacceptable. Its refusal to play by the rules leads us to view its nuclear programme as a critical proliferation threat."
He urged Iran to "take advantage of the international community's willingness to negotiate, including (US) President Obama's offer of engagement, rather than face further sanctions".
The recent surge in energy prices, dwindling resources and the need to meet climate change goals is giving a new lease of life to nuclear power. Britain is set to build a new generation of nuclear power plants.
Reuters