Georgia Sizes Up Nuclear Option

President Saakashvili and AREVA chief executive Anne Lauvergeon discussed ?the possibility of constructing a civil nuclear reactor in Georgia,? Mamuka Kudava, Georgia?s Ambassador to France, told reporters.

Mikheil Saakashvili met with the French nuclear energy company?s chief executive in Paris on June 14.

?The president has pointed out that this project is in our interests. We have agreed that we will now continue discussions on the level of experts,? the ambassador told reporters.

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, who is also in Paris, said cooperation with AREVA ?is very important? for Georgia.
 
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, however, said on June 15, that it is too early to talk about this project.

?The issue concerns possible replacement of the Armenian old nuclear reactor with the new one. But it is up to Armenia to decide whether this reactor will be replaced with the new one or not. So talks about where this new reactor will be located ? it will be in Armenia, or in Georgia, or whether it will be constructed at all or not ? are too early,? PM Nogaideli said.

President Saakashvili also discussed the issue during the meeting with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on June 13.

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