Antinuclear

Gillard to India, to QUIETLY arrange uranium sale deal: uranium industry to lobby opponents

 Uranium controls point to India deal, Financial Review, 4 Oct 12 “…..When she visits India in a fortnight, Prime Minister Julia Gillard will hold top level discussions that are expected to open the way to a uranium safeguards agreement that would contain strict requirements on the safe use of the fuel.

The strategy is intended to neutralise opponents who highlight that India has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The final safeguards agreement will take some time but sources close to the negotiations said it was expected to boast the same regulations as the NNPT as well as strict rules on access to nuclear facilities in the world’s biggest democracy…….

Australia has previously refused to sell the nuclear fuel to India because the South Asian country hasn’t signed the treaty. Resource Minister Martin Ferguson in February 2011 opened up political debate on India uranium sales, saying Australia should be able to negotiate on a country by country basis rather than have a blanket ban on those who hadn’t signed the treaty.

That paved the way for Ms Gillard to prevail at Labor’s December national conference to overturn the party ban, amid opposition from cabinet ministers, including Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, Schools Minister Peter Garrett and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese…..

Ms Gillard will travel to India from October 15-17 and is expected to meet the government’s most senior officials about energy, trade and economic ties. Australia is going into its fourth round of negotiations on the Closer Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement…..
A final uranium safeguards agreement with India would first be analysed by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, which can make recommendations to the government. “Once the government puts the treaty to parliament the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will have a certain amount of time look at it,” said committee chair and Labor MP Kelvin Thomson.

“On a contentious issue like this there would be public hearings before we make recommendations to the government and the parliament.

“Generally, I think it is important we promote the nuclear non proliferation treaty, Australia is of course a signatory to that.”….
Mr Angwin said. “I think the implication between any agreement between Australia and India is to put pressure on those governments and political parties which have so far have not given their support to the expansion of the uranium industry.”

October 4, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international