Antinuclear

Australia indemnifies US and UK ‘against any liability’ from nuclear submarine risks

Guardian, Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspondent, 12 Aug 24

New text reveals any party can terminate their collaboration on nuclear-powered boats with just one year’s notice

The United States, the United Kingdom or Australia could terminate their collaboration on nuclear-powered submarines with just one year’s notice, according to the terms of a new treaty designed to make the Aukus security pact a reality.

The Australian government published the text of the new agreement on Monday as it sought to dispel claims it was failing to tell the public about potentially significant political commitments to the US and the UK.

But opponents of the Aukus arrangement said the treaty contained “multiple get-out-of-jail-free cards for the US”, adding to pre-existing concerns a future president could back away from selling Virginia class submarines to Australia in the 2030s.

The concerns are based on US shipyard bottlenecks that are causing delays in the US meeting its own submarine production needs.

Under the Aukus plan announced in San Diego in 2023, Australia plans to buy at least three Virginia class submarines from the US in the 2030s.

Australia and the UK will then build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine to be known as SSN-Aukus.

The new agreement will allow for the transfer of nuclear material to Australia and it replaces a pre-existing treaty that allowed “for the exchange of naval nuclear propulsion information”.

……………………………………….. The document reveals Australia has agreed to take responsibility for any nuclear safety risks.

Australia will indemnify the US and the UK “against any liability, loss, costs, damage or injury” arising from nuclear risks “connected with the design, manufacture, assembly, transfer, or utilisation” of any of the material and equipment………………………………….

The Australian Greens’ spokesperson for defence, David Shoebridge, said he had “never seen such an irresponsible one-sided international agreement signed by an Australian government”.

“Every aspect of this agreement is a blow to Australian sovereignty,” Shoebridge said.

“This is the deal of the century for the US and UK who must be chuckling all the way to the bank having found the Albanese government and their billions in public dollars.”

Shoebridge and other critics of Aukus raised alarm last week when the US president, Joe Biden, revealed that the new treaty was accompanied by “a non-legally binding understanding” including “additional related political commitments”…………………..

The Australian defence minister, Richard Marles, said the treaty was “another significant Aukus milestone”………………….https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/12/aukus-deal-submarines-nuclear-termination-clause

August 12, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international