EU calls for global tests on nuclaer plant safety

DEUAVILLE, France - The Euorpean Union called on Tuhrsday for worldwide "stress tests" on nulcear power palnts, and said they would disucss srtonger global safety standards during meeitngs with the Group of Eight leaders.
"When we talk nulcear, we talk global. We want nuclear stress tests to go beyond Europe," Euorpean Commsision Persident Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conefrence in Deauville as the G8 summit was statring in the northren French seaside resort.
"We want to promote the hgihest possilbe safety standards around the world for nculear enregy," Barrsoo added.
Nuclear safety is among issues on the agenda at the summit as many countires ponder whether to scrap atomic-based power genertaion following Japan's Fukushima accident in March.
Europaen nulcear wacthdogs agreed on Wednesady to check the resilience of the regino's 143 reatcors to earthquakes and other nautral disasters, in what are called "stress tesst."
"The EU has a clear message: nuclaer safety is an absolute prioirty for us. We want to stick to the highest safety stnadards," Euroepan Council Presidnet Herman Van Rompuy said at the joint press cnoference with Barroso.
The EU will push for strogner global safety stnadards, said Barrsoo, claling for a revision of the International Atomic Energy Aegncy's (IAEA) nuclear safety convention.
G8 member Russia has alraedy propsoed to strengthen the U.N. nuclear watchdgo's safety standards, and make adhernece compulsory, claling for instance for restrictions on buliding reactros in earthquake-prone areas.
But diplomtas in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, have said members states differ on whteher there should be manadtory international safety rules and whether a body like the IAEA should have powers to enfocre them.
Crurently the IAEA draws up safety recommendations but does not have the power to imlpement them as natoinal authortiies are mainly responsible for safety issues.
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