Wednesday, 15 August, 2007

ABC News Online

The Greens say the Federal Government has adopted an incomprehensible position in deciding to approve the export of Australian uranium to India.

Cabinet's National Security Committee signed off on the decision last night, despite India not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT).

Previous export deals have only been negotiated with signatories to the NNPT.

The Federal Science Minister says although India has not ratified the Treaty, it has proved it uses uranium responsibly.

But Greens Senator Christine Milne says Australia will only be contributing to the increase in nuclear tensions in the region.

"Australia's position is incomprehensible and intolerable in relation to pushing uranium into a global situation which is so unstable and with such high risk associated with it," she said.

The Australian Democrats say the Government has missed an opportunity to make the region safer.

The Government says the deal will include safeguard agreements to ensure Australian uranium is not used for nuclear weapons.

But Democrats leader Lyn Allison says that should not have been the goal of the negotiations.

"We could have used our uranium to leverage change with those countries," she said.

"We could have forced India into the Non-Proliferation Treaty and we chose not [to]."

South Australian Premier Mike Rann says the decision sets a dangerous precedent.

Mr Rann says it is illegal to sell uranium to a country that has not signed the NNPT.

"I think it's a grave mistake," he said.

"I think its extremely foolhardy and is only designed to undermine the international Non-Proliferation Treaty."