Czechs, Austrians bid to heal rift

The Temelin plant has been plagued by problems since work began in 1986

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Talks aimed at ending a row between the Czech Republic and Austria over a Czech nuclear power plant are being held in Brussels.

European Union officials are acting as mediators in the row, which has seen Austria demanding the closure of the Russian-designed Temelin plant 50 kilometres (30 miles) from its northern border.

The EU is concerned because some Austrian politicians have threatened to veto the Czech Republic's entry into the EU unless it gives better safety guarantees.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, the official coordinating the EU's eastward expansion, is hosting talks between Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel and Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman amid fears that the issue may delay EU's plans to bring in new members by 2004.

Hopes of a compromise rose on Thursday as Czech government officials said their Cabinet had approved terms of a plan to resolve the row on Wednesday evening.

They declined to give details beyond saying it would allow the 110 billion koruna ($3 billion) plant to become fully operational.

Austrian officials acknowledge the Czechs cannot afford to shut down the plant in the short term, but are seeking guarantees on enhanced safety measures along with a long-term commitment to replace nuclear power with alternative energy sources.

Austria voted in a 1978 referendum to abandon nuclear energy and the far-right Freedom Party, which shares power with Schuessel's conservatives, has called for a veto on Czech EU entry.

Austrian environmentalists, meanwhile, have blocked the Czech frontier in protests against the plant.

Mercedes Echerer, an Austrian Green member of the European Parliament, said Austria and other EU nations should set up a fund to help the Czechs finance alternatives.

"If Austria put down money, I'm sure others would follow. We have to act now," she told The Associated Press.

The 2,000-megawatt plant has been plagued by technical problems since work began on its construction in 1986.

Testing at the plant resumed on Wednesday after the latest shutdown over a leaking circulation pump. The plant is not expected to become fully operational until 2003.