Friday, 7 September, 2007

Australian Conservation Foundation

The ‘safeguards’ relied on in the Australia-Russia uranium deal, signed today by John Howard and Vladimir Putin, are paper promises and cannot guarantee that Australian yellowcake will not fuel future Chernobyls and nuclear weapons.

The Australian Prime Minister and the Russian President today signed an agreement that will see Australian uranium exported to Russia, a nuclear weapons state that is building nuclear reactors in Iran and Burma.

“Russia’s nuclear facilities are old and under performing,” said the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Dave Sweeney.

“Civil society watchdogs that monitor the nuclear industry in the West – like the media, environment groups and unions – are under-resourced and under pressure in Russia.

“Although Russia is a signatory to the United Nations’ nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) it is actively breaching the treaty’s obligations.

“Russia recently changed its domestic laws so new nuclear reactors can be built without facing environmental impact assessments.

“Safeguards cannot guarantee that Australian uranium will not end up fuelling a nuclear accident or a nuclear weapon.  The only thing that can be guaranteed is that it will end up as long lived radioactive waste.

“The safeguards mean Australians have to trust the current Russian regime – as well as every future Russian regime – to do the right thing.  Politicians come and go; radioactive risks remain.

“The safeguards are paper promises that provide nothing more than an illusion of protection.

“Australia should be helping Russia, a country that continues to suffer from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, build a truly sustainable energy future with safe renewable energy,” Mr Sweeney said.