Brussels, 15/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - In the run-up to the vote, in Sharm El Sheik at the end of June, on where to site the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which was set up in January 2009 to promote the use of renewable energy throughout the world, Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes suspects the European nuclear lobby, led by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, of supporting Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, “to keep IRENA from away from Europe and restrict its remit to simply encouraging renewables in developed countries”. “Abu Dhabi has become a serious challenger to Bonn, and we have learned that France and the United Kingdom are supporting the Emirates' candidacy. If Mr Sarkozy and Mr Brown are backing Abu Dhabi, it is probably in exchange for some nuclear power stations and other lucrative contracts. We call on governments not to put national interests first and to support Bonn as the IRENA headquarters,” says Turmes in a press release. (E.H./transl.rt)