United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Tuesday for enhanced preparations against nuclear accidents at a roundtable conference in Geneva, dpa repoted. "Those countries with advanced nuclear energy technology must ensure that nuclear reactors can withstand multiple hazards - various combinations of an earthquake, tsunami, flood and fire," Ban said. Safety standards and precautions had to be investigated, along with staff training, quality assurance systems, and independent regulatory oversight. Ban announced that he was convening a high-level meeting on September 22 at the General Assembly in New York on nuclear safety and security, where a UN system-wide study on the Fukushima accident would be presented. He also highlighted the need for stronger partnership with the nuclear industry, saying this was "critical." Ban called for a "framework that balances the benefits with risk-management strategies." The meeting would provide a bridge to the second Nuclear Security Summit meeting next year in Seoul by addressing the link between nuclear security and nuclear safety, he said. Ban said the disaster at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had raised questions about the future of nuclear energy and fuelled public fears.
