Australia no to India on uranium, backs UNSC bid
Natasha Chaku
Press Trust of India
Ahead of External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit, Australia today ruled out any change in its stand of not selling uranium to India but sought to placate New Delhi by saying ties with it go far beyond this "single issue" and voiced strong backing for its claim to a permanent seat in UN Security Council.
"The Australian Government fully appreciates how central India is to our future," Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a speech at the University of Western Australia, his alma mater, while making a strong push for closer ties in social, economic and defence sectors.
Acknowledging that India had a strong record on non-proliferation, he described the government's policy of not supplying uranium to countries who are not part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as "long standing and well known".
The important point to note, however, is that Australia's relationship with India goes far beyond this single issue, Smith said.
He said the two nations shared the same position on promoting nuclear disarmament it would be "of great assistance" if India could sign up to the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
Australia strongly believes that India, with its firm commitment to multilateralism, should have a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council, the minister said while also backing New Delhi for APEC's membership when the moratorium on new members ends in 2010.
Australia, he said, is developing a mature and broad-ranging relationship with "economic and strategic giant" India, "one that can and does accommodate differences of opinion on particular issues, and one that still moves forward constructively and positively"
"The Australian Government fully appreciates how central India is to our future," Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a speech at the University of Western Australia, his alma mater, while making a strong push for closer ties in social, economic and defence sectors.
Acknowledging that India had a strong record on non-proliferation, he described the government's policy of not supplying uranium to countries who are not part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as "long standing and well known".
The important point to note, however, is that Australia's relationship with India goes far beyond this single issue, Smith said.
He said the two nations shared the same position on promoting nuclear disarmament it would be "of great assistance" if India could sign up to the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
Australia strongly believes that India, with its firm commitment to multilateralism, should have a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council, the minister said while also backing New Delhi for APEC's membership when the moratorium on new members ends in 2010.
Australia, he said, is developing a mature and broad-ranging relationship with "economic and strategic giant" India, "one that can and does accommodate differences of opinion on particular issues, and one that still moves forward constructively and positively"