PARIS - Germany is defending its decision to abandon nuclear power at an international meeting on improving nuclear safety worldwide after the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.
Government ministers from several countries are holding talks in Paris on how to reinforce safety rules.
Explosions, fires and meltdowns at the Japanese plant following the March 11 tsunami have caused several countries to review their nuclear industries. Germany announced recently it will shut down its nuclear plants by 2022.
Ursula Heinen-Esser of Germany's Environment Ministry says she will explain the decision to partners from France -- a big proponent of nuclear energy and the conference's host.
She says it's "very important to shut down nuclear power plants and make a fast start with renewable energy."
