Antinuclear

Australia will keep its ban on uranium sales to India

Overturning the ban would reward India’s nuclear proliferation and undermine the NPT, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Australia Chair Tilman Ruff said.

“Selling uranium to India runs counter to Australia’s and global security interests, and would undermine Australia’s stated support for achieving a world without nuclear weapons,” he said..

No change in ban on uranium sales to India, Sydney Morning Herald, Adam Gartrell, January 19, 2011 – The federal government has told India it won’t lift its ban on uranium sales to the South Asian giant.India’s foreign Minister SM Krishna met with Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in Melbourne on Wednesday to discuss a range of energy sector issues.

Mr Krishna was expected to lobby Mr Ferguson to reconsider Labor’s ban on uranium sales to his country.

Labor refuses to sell uranium to India because it has not signed the United Nations Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Mr Ferguson said he welcomed Mr Krishna’s visit.

“Regarding the export of uranium to India, the policy of the Australian government is clear – we will only supply uranium to countries that are signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and have signed a bilateral agreement with Australia,” he said.

“This is not a policy specific to India, it applies equally to all countries.”

Anti-nuclear campaigners said any change in the government’s policy would be a mistake.

Overturning the ban would reward India’s nuclear proliferation and undermine the NPT, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Australia Chair Tilman Ruff said.

“Selling uranium to India runs counter to Australia’s and global security interests, and would undermine Australia’s stated support for achieving a world without nuclear weapons,” he said.. No change in ban on uranium sales to India

January 19, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international