Sunday, 4 November, 2007

ABC News Online

Greens Senator Christine Milne says Australia's reputation has been harmed by its decision not to back an anti-nuclear weapons motion at the United Nations.

The non-binding vote called for all nuclear weapons to be taken off high alert.

It easily passed, with the United States, Britain and France the only countries voting against it.

Australia was one of 35 countries to abstain from voting.

Senator Milne says she is appalled that Australia refused to support a motion that advances peace and nuclear disarmament.

"The rest of the world sees that as long as John Howard is Prime Minister, Australia is just one of the apparatchiks of the United States," she said.

"We're not seen as having an independent foreign policy, and I think we're certainly not seen as one of those countries striving for peace and disarmament."