Not possible to do away with nuclear energy entirely: PM Lee

THERE is a need for a strong international framework to manage nuclear safety and security, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the opening of a two-day summit to discuss the threat of nuclear terrorism yesterday.

Nuclear proliferation remains a major security issue in the world today, he said on the opening day of the biennial Nuclear Security Summit, which is being held in The Hague.

Despite the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan three years ago, Mr Lee noted that it was not possible for countries to do away with nuclear energy entirely, especially as energy demand increases and given concerns over the environmental impact of fossil fuels.