| Why no, we're not happy to see you, and never mind what's in our pocket. |
Taiwan did have plutonium-related experiments several decades ago for the development of nuclear power, but none was about extracting plutonium as an ingredient for nuclear weapons, and the experiments were abandoned in the late 70s, the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) said yesterday, in response to a recent news report.
The Associated Press on Wednesday reported from Vienna that information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicates Taiwan's plutonium separation experiments probably continued until about 20 years ago. The AP attributed that finding to unnamed diplomats, whose information was based on preliminary samples taken in Taiwan by IAEA inspectors.
AEC officials yesterday said that the report was misleading. "Several decades ago, Taiwan did carry out plutonium-related experiments in a bid to analyze the element's chemical characteristics," AEC Vice Chairman Yang Chao-yie (???) told the Taipei Times. "At that time, scientists believed that the mixture of oxidized uranium and plutonium might be a possible fuel for nuclear power plants and other things," Yang said. |