France launches international wing of nuclear agency

[phantom power]

PARIS (Reuters) - The French cabinet passed a decree on Wednesday allowing the country's Atomic Energy Commission to promote French nuclear expertise and safety standards globally.

The Commission's new international division will help other countries build nuclear power stations safely and without harming the environment, while ensuring the technology is not used for weapons, the government said in a statement.

France has already signed nuclear cooperation agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UEA), Algeria and Libya.

French nuclear plant builder Areva clinched the biggest commercial atomic energy contract on record at the end of 2007, worth 8 billion euros, to supply China with two reactors and supply fuel for nearly two decades.

http://africa.reuters.com/energyandoil/news/usn1377A30E-1C41-11DD-AB81-B72D34A97898.html?rpc=401&

[kristopher]

1. This is new?

I briefly dated the daughter of a French 'diplomat' that was a full time French nuclear technology salesman.

[phantom power]

2. Dunno. The govt giving it their official stamp of approval?