Australia rules out uranium sales to India
Australia today ruled out uranium sales to India as the government cleared export of yellow metal to Russia.
Trade Minister Simon Crean said that sales to Russia would meet all non-proliferation requirements and had got assurances from Moscow that it will be used for civilian purposes. He said Russia was a signatory to NPT.
According to AAP report, Uranium was set to be exported to Russia after the government brushed aside concern raised in a parliamentary committee report about uranium being stolen or diverted for weapons' use.
Crean told the Australian Television that an agreement with Russia met Australia's long-standing conditions that the uranium supply would be used for peaceful purposes.
But the Australian minister said Canberra would not start negotiations with India to fuel its expanding nuclear power industry.
The earlier Howard government in Australia had opened negotiations with India on uranium sales months before the Kevin Rudd led regime took over. The Rudd's government has continuously ruled out exporting uranium to India unless it signs NPT.
"The signal to India... is that this is the way in which they can be recipients of power supply and it is for India to respond to that...," Crean said.
The Australian government may get agreement for supply of uranium to Russia ratified by the Parliament and the move is not expected to evoke any opposition as the Opposition parties are backing nuclear trade with Moscow.
