Awwal 16, 1432, April 20, 2011, SPA -- The recent power plant accident in Japan, like the Chernobyl disaster 25 years ago, calls for "deep reflection" on the future of nuclear energy, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday. "As we are painfully learning once again, nuclear accidents respect no borders," Ban told the Summit on the Safe and Innovative Use of Nuclear Energy in Kiev, Ukraine. The U.N. chief said that both the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986 and the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant last month raise important questions. "How do we ensure both the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and maximum safety? We need a global rethink on this fundamental question," he said. "Because the consequences are catastrophic, safety must be paramount," Ban said. "Because the consequences are transnational, they must be debated globally." He said states bear the primary responsibility for the safety of nuclear installations and urged governments to consider and adopt lessons learned in light of the accident at Fukishima. --MORE
