Thursday, 6 September, 2007

The Herald Sun

THE US was not concerned by the prospect of Australia selling uranium to Russia for civilian use under a deal expected to be signed tomorrow, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

Russia already had a large stockpile of nuclear weapons and the uranium was unlikely to end up in Iranian hands, she said on Australian television last night.

"This isn't an issue for us. The Russians have plenty of weapons, let's be realistic about it. The Cold War produced more than a surplus.''

Prime Minister John Howard is expected to sign the deal tomorrow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is due in Sydney for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

The uranium would be for domestic use in Russian civilian reactors and the deal would include safeguards against selling it on to other countries, Australian officials have said.

Mr Howard said today he would not approve the sale of uranium to Russia if there was any possibility it could be resold to hostile countries for possible bomb production.

"The conditions on our selling uranium is that we obtain the guarantees necessary to satisfy us that it won't go to Iran and Syria,'' Mr Howard said on commercial radio.

"We will be taking the Russians through the ropes in relation to any arrangement we have and we will be wanting to satisfy ourselves completely that won't occur.''

Australia already sells uranium to Russia, but only for handling by a third party.

The anticipated deal has been widely criticised and follows a similarly controversial one with India last month.