PM heads into Apec nuke showdown

Prime Minister Helen Clark will fly into controversy when she arrives in Sydney for the Apec summit after US President George Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard pushed nuclear energy as a solution to climate change.
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Speaking at a joint press conference today, the Australian and US leaders highlighted climate change as a key focus of this week's Apec leaders summit, which brings together 21 world leaders.

But their declaration on nuclear power as a form of clean energy to reduce climate change emissions will be difficult for New Zealand to swallow, with its stated opposition to nuclear power.

Speaking ahead of this week's summit, Miss Clark said on Monday she expected the final communique from the leaders' summit to respect the positions of countries like New Zealand on nuclear energy.

The summit brings together leaders from countries with widely disparate posititions on climate change.

New Zealand has ratified the Kyoto protocol, which commits it to meeting binding targets to reduce green house gas emissions.

Australia and the US have so far refused to ratify the protocol.

Asked today if she was concerned that nuclear energy was being touted as the solution to climate change, Miss Clark said:

"It's not something that NZ is ever going to tout. It's understood that it meets definitions compatible with Kyoto, but that is not something we are going to endorse."

She said NZ had always been on a different track to the US and Australia on nuclear issues.

- with Haydon Dewes

- © Fairfax NZ News