PERTH: Australia is willing to consider joining the consensus with Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) and the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) to provide India uranium for its power plants if the latter ratified the 123 agreement with the US. The move is clearly a softening of position from the earlier stated stand where Australia has been reluctant to open uranium trading with countries that have not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
“The Labour Party has a strong policy of not exporting uranium to any country that is not a signatory to the NPT. We have made this clear to Indian officials that we are bound by the party policy. But if the 123 agreement is passed by Indian Parliament we could consider joining a consensus of the NSG and IAEA,” Australian foreign minister Steve Smith said in an interview to a group of visiting Indian journalists.
He was responding to a query why the Australian government had changed its policy to supply uranium for Indian power plants after the Labour Party-led government under Mr Kevin Ruud came to power in December last year. Uranium supplies are important for India to run its existing and future power plants. Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), the government monopoly generating power from nuclear fuel, is running all its plants at below 50% plant load factor and is expecting easing of uranium trade to move ahead on its plans.
“We see our party policy on NPT and opening up uranium trade under NSG and IAEA consensus as two separate issues and this has been made clear to the US and Indian authorities. We don’t see our party policy automatically preventing us from joining the consensus of NSG and IAEA,” Mr Smith said.
“We will wait for the 123 agreement between India and Australia to emerge and then make a judgement,” he said, adding prime minister’s advisor Shyam Saran, external affairs secretary Shivshankar Menon, and former external affairs secretary L Mansingh have all been appraised of the Australian position.
Australia has a vast reserve of uranium that could be shipped to India. Already, Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group has entered into a partnership agreement with Australian Uranium Exploration to start uranium mining for its proposed foray into nuclear power generation.
“Both the nations have differences over the issue of uranium supply. But it is not disturbing the fundamental relations between us,” he said, lending his country’s support to India being given a permanent seat in UN Security Council.
“The Labour Party has a strong policy of not exporting uranium to any country that is not a signatory to the NPT. We have made this clear to Indian officials that we are bound by the party policy. But if the 123 agreement is passed by Indian Parliament we could consider joining a consensus of the NSG and IAEA,” Australian foreign minister Steve Smith said in an interview to a group of visiting Indian journalists.
He was responding to a query why the Australian government had changed its policy to supply uranium for Indian power plants after the Labour Party-led government under Mr Kevin Ruud came to power in December last year. Uranium supplies are important for India to run its existing and future power plants. Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), the government monopoly generating power from nuclear fuel, is running all its plants at below 50% plant load factor and is expecting easing of uranium trade to move ahead on its plans.
“We see our party policy on NPT and opening up uranium trade under NSG and IAEA consensus as two separate issues and this has been made clear to the US and Indian authorities. We don’t see our party policy automatically preventing us from joining the consensus of NSG and IAEA,” Mr Smith said.
“We will wait for the 123 agreement between India and Australia to emerge and then make a judgement,” he said, adding prime minister’s advisor Shyam Saran, external affairs secretary Shivshankar Menon, and former external affairs secretary L Mansingh have all been appraised of the Australian position.
Australia has a vast reserve of uranium that could be shipped to India. Already, Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group has entered into a partnership agreement with Australian Uranium Exploration to start uranium mining for its proposed foray into nuclear power generation.
“Both the nations have differences over the issue of uranium supply. But it is not disturbing the fundamental relations between us,” he said, lending his country’s support to India being given a permanent seat in UN Security Council.
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