Asia-Pacific

Singapore must study nuclear option: PM

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-02 11:52

SINGAPORE - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the city state has not made a decision on nuclear power but it must study the nuclear power as an option, local media reported on Thursday.

Lee made the comments at a press conference on Wednesday on the two-day official visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Singapore government has previously said that the country is in the midst of pre-feasibility study on nuclear energy, but that it will be a long time before any decision is made.

"We need to understand it, because I think this is something which will not go away. And even if we don't do nuclear energy, our neighbours will do nuclear energy, and we need to understand the implications for us," Lee said.

Germany has announced recently that it would shut down its nuclear reactors by 2022.

Merkel is on her first official visit to Singapore as German chancellor. She made a courtesy call on President S R Nathan and met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Lee also said the next round of free trade talks between the European Union and Singapore will start in two months.

Asked about his choice for the post of the International Monetary Fund chief, Lee said this would be decided on merit.

"I would not say that I'm looking for an Asian candidate. I think we want to look for the best person who can do a very difficult job, which is crucial towards the stability of the global monetary system," he said.