KUANTAN, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- The Seventh Ministerial Meeting Forum For Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) Monday agreed to form a new study panel for cooperation in nuclear energy in Asia.

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said the study panel would focus on areas such as economic analysis and financing scheme, access to nuclear technology for peaceful uses, human resource development, nuclear safety, security and safeguard system.

He said FNCA members had selected Japan as its secretariat.

"The forum also agreed that nuclear power should be included as a clean energy that has lower impact to the environment compared with fuel and coal that could cause global warming," he told reporters here Monday.

Jamaludin said the meeting also agreed to appeal as a group to the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for nuclear power to be included as a clean development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol to the convention.

He said the meeting also took note the availability of experience among FNCA member countries on public information for the acceptance of nuclear power including transparency, media communication and education.

The FNCA members also agreed to select Tokyo for the Eighth FNCA Ministerial Meeting next year followed by the Ninth Ministerial Meeting in the Philippines in 2008, he said.

The meeting was attended by ministers and officials of science and technology from Asia, including Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh, as well as Australia.

On whether Asean would adopt Japan's nuclear technology, Jamaludin said the options were kept open as they would also look to other countries including the United States and Canada.

-- BERNAMA