China may link Australian uranium imports to Australia importing Chinese nuclear reactors
an “envisioned” bilateral nuclear co-operation agreement with the Chinese would be broad enough to cover “all eventualities” — including a possible deal under which Labor would import nuclear reactors in the future.
Chinese ‘coy’ in talks on importing uranium, MARK SCHLIEBS, The Australian, August 31, 2011 CHINESE officials were “a bit coy” about whether they were still developing weapons-grade fissile material during initial negotiations over the importation of Australian uranium, according to a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.
After a 2005 trip to Beijing, John Carlson, then director-general of the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office, told US officials that the Chinese were so keen on using Australian uranium that they were interested in launching exploration projects. “Carlson also asked the Chinese whether they were still engaged in weapons-grade fissile material production,” a cable sent from the US embassy in Canberra dated March 4, 2005, said. “He said he found the answer he got ‘a bit coy’.”
“The officials told him that (China) wanted negotiations on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty to begin as soon as possible, and he should infer from that that China was not producing such fissile material.”
The cable noted Mr Carlson did not believe China was enriching uranium to weapons-grade strength, as he thought the country had enough material for its nuclear weapons plans.
An agreement between the two countries allowing uranium to be sold to China was later ratified by the Howard government.
The meeting came at a time when China was looking to expand its uranium imports, the cable said…..
Mr Carlson had also told US officials that an “envisioned” bilateral nuclear co-operation agreement with the Chinese would be broad enough to cover “all eventualities” — including a possible deal under which Labor would import nuclear reactors in the future.
“This assumes, of course, that the ALP, Greens and the Australian general public drop their opposition to nuclear energy in the meantime,” the cable noted.
No comments yet.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
Leave a comment