In this issue

As the tide of public opinion continues to turn, gradually but noticeably, in favour of nuclear energy, Issue N° 7 of ENS News kicks off the New Year with a bulletin that reflects the industry's current mood of optimism. It is also an issue full of poignant contrasts. While its main focus is on the challenges that lie ahead, it also takes time to reflect on the past, following sad news of the recent death of an old friend, former President of the Slovak Nuclear Society and champion of the nuclear cause, Jiri Suchomel.

So, what can we expect in 2005? Well, it promises to be an interesting one. For example, 2005 is "Physics Year" - an occasion that could provide us with a springboard for increasing the visibility and credibility of the nuclear industry. 2005 will also reveal whether the recent favourable reappraisal of nuclear energy - and its growing acceptance among Europe's citizens - will continue to gather momentum. By the summer, EU-25 will have been in existence for a year and the new European Parliament will have completed the first twelve months of its mandate. We will be able to take stock and assess whether and how enlargement has effected the nuclear industry. 2005 could prove to be a watershed year.

The ENS News section begins with a message of best wishes for the New Year from the President. It also includes an obituary in honour of Jiri Suchomel, written by NucNet. The regular Listening to Others feature has been renamed Tapping Unusual Sources, in order to better reflect the kind of offbeat subjects it has always covered.

The ENS Events section features a look back at the successful European Nuclear Assembly (ENA), organised by Foratom, that took place last November, and a look forward to the main ENS events in 2005, i.e. PIME, RRFM and ETRAP and ENC 2005 in Paris.

News from the member societies in Germany is followed by YGN reports on their current activities and on the Belgoprocess visit in November 2004.

The European Institutions section focuses on the outcome of the November Energy Council, the High Flux Reactor Seminar (that took place in Petten, in December) and the Joint EC/EURELECTRIC/FORATOM seminar on nuclear waste, which will take place in Brussels on 28 February.

Finally, there will be a round-up of relevant world news, with bulletins from NucNet News and Global 2005. The Table of Contents will help you "fast-forward" to the topics that interest you most.

We hope you enjoy reading Issue N°7 of ENS News.

ENS President’s wishes for 2005

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families all the very best for 2005.

I guess, like me, you are still in a state of shock following the catastrophic events which recently devastated southern Asia. However, I think we can take heart from the wave of worldwide sympathy and solidarity that these tragic events have generated. Many lessons can be learned; it’s up to each of us to decide which of those lessons we need learn.

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Obituary: Jiri Suchomel

Nuclear Community Mourns Death Of
Jiri Suchomel

The world nuclear community is mourning Jiri Suchomel – the past chairman of the Slovak Nuclear Society (SNUS) and a vice-president of NucNet who died last week.

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TAPPING UNUSUAL QUARTERS

Cognitive Dissonance and the Nuclear Debate

The concept of cognitive dissonance was introduced by Leon Festinger in a book titled A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance published in 1957, almost fifty years ago. The focus of this book was on a psychological condition that has certainly been experienced by all of us: receiving a piece of information that contradicts previously-held beliefs. Cognitive dissonance is the state arising from the realisation that one is now faced with an inconsistency in one’s system of beliefs.

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