Giving uranium to India makes sense: Oz expert

An Australian nuclear proliferation expert has said that Canberras plans to conditionally sell uranium to India and Russia makes sense, and has ruled out the possibility of either country supplying nuclear material to hostile countries like Iran.

Sydney, Aug.17 : An Australian nuclear proliferation expert has said that Canberra's plans to conditionally sell uranium to India and Russia makes sense, and has ruled out the possibility of either country supplying nuclear material to hostile countries like Iran.

Dr Robert Ayson of the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre said India and Russia would not be helping out countries like Iran.

"India is a fairly great power, it's the world's largest democracy, it's a burgeoning economy, it's going to play a major role in Australia's future. And, I think in the case of Russia, it's highly unlikely,'' news.com.au quoted Dr. Ayson, as saying.

"To keep pretending that India should not be regarded as a member of the nuclear club is really quite silly,'' he added.

However, Greens Senator Christine Milne begged to differ.

"With both Russia and India known to have transferred nuclear materials and technology to Iran, it is inconceivable that Australian sales of uranium to these countries will not facilitate Iran's ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons, regardless of any safeguards regime,'' she said.

Prime Minister John Howard last night reached an in-principle agreement with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to sell uranium, although India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The Federal Government is reportedly set to reach a similar agreement with Russia - an NPT signatory - when President Vladimir Putin visits Australia for APEC next month.

The Australian Greens and Australian Democrats have expressed outrage at both plans.

Dr Ayson said the chances of another nuclear disaster like Chernobyl in 1986 were slim.

"Their reactors are not all top-notch, some of them are a bit old, but I think the newer generation the Russians will be bringing on will not necessarily share those problems.''

ANI