Akhir 19, 1432 H/March 24, 2011, SPA -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that nuclear energy policy across the European Union has to fundamentally change to take the fallout of Japan's nuclear accident into account, according to AP. Merkel has already ordered the temporary closure of seven of Germany's oldest reactors and said ahead of Thursday's EU summit of government leaders in Brussels that nations using nuclear energy «cannot just go back to normal.» Her cautious approach contrasts with that of France, which early this week launched an impassioned defense of nuclear power. The EU leaders are expected approve the principle of strict stress tests on all 143 reactors in the region but leave the technical criteria to be decided.
