Tuesday, 28 August, 2007

ABC Radio National

Australia's Foreign Minister says accepting an invitation to join a Global Nuclear Energy Partnership will not lead to Australia being used as a nuclear waste dump site.

The United States is expected to ask Australia to join the group which is set up to regulate the production of nuclear resources.

Alexander Downer says the Government will consider the idea closely.

But he says it won't result in Australia accepting nuclear waste.

"What we sign up, what we'd agree to, let's see what actually's put on the table. Nobody can make us do anything and no matter what the scare mongering of the labor party and their friends on left may be we've made it clear we won't be taking it back and that's the beginning and that's the end of it," he said.