Thursday, 31 August, 2006

Greenpeace

A report published today by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute has made clear the link between uranium exports, processing and the risks of nuclear weapons proliferation.

The report confirms that increasing flows of nuclear materials, such as uranium, heightens the risk of such materials being used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons by aspirant states and terrorist groups, both of which have the technical ability to build nuclear weapons, obtaining uranium being the only limiting factor (see p.8).

Greenpeace CEO Steve Shallhorn said: "Greenpeace welcomes a serious report revealing the links between uranium mining and a potential new nuclear arms race. We can't have a debate about nuclear power and uranium without examining the direct links with nuclear weapons, rogue states and terrorism.

"Anything less than a 100% guarantee that uranium exports cannot fuel nuclear terrorism or weapons is an unacceptable risk to Australia and its interests. This is the debate the Prime Minister does not want to have."

The Chicago Tribune recently revealed the US gave Iran highly enriched uranium and a research reactor in the 1960s demonstrating how today's trusted friend can become a country of concern in the future.

"If Australia were to work to re-admit India to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as recommended by ASPI, the message to other countries would be: you can leave the treaty, develop nuclear weapons, re-join the treaty and keep the weapons. What then would be the point of the treaty?" Mr Shallhorn said. "In effect this takes the Non out of the Non Proliferation Treaty.

"The report correctly points out that if Australia does expand its nuclear role into enrichment, it would make it more difficult to argue against other countries doing so especially Australia's neighbours who are aware that we tried to acquire nuclear weapons from the UK in the late1950s and 1960s.

"By acknowledging that main nuclear states are unwilling to disarm, the report strengthens the argument that we shouldn't be selling to countries that don't respect NPT obligations.

"You cannot make a nuclear weapon from solar panels, wind turbines or biomass. This is the point the PM does not want to debate," Mr Shallhorn said.