Tuesday, 5 September, 2006

by KATHARINE MURPHY
The Age

NEW Australian uranium sales to China could be worth $250 million a year by the time China's nuclear plans are up and running, Foreign Affairs officials say.

But John Carlson, director of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, has admitted that Australians will not inspect Chinese nuclear facilities to ensure compliance with controls safeguarding non-proliferation. He also confirmed that international inspectors would not visit enrichment or conversion facilities in China to ensure Australian uranium did not end up in nuclear weapons.