Australias Opposition leader pitches for Uranium sale to India

Australias Opposition leader Brendan Nelson has once again asked the Kevin Rudd Government to give a green signal to the sale of Uranium to India.

Sydney, Dec 31 : Australia's Opposition leader Brendan Nelson has once again asked the Kevin Rudd Government to give a green signal to the sale of Uranium to India.

He contended that the nuclear fuel, which will be used for generation of power in India, would help in combating climate change.

"India is a major emitter of greenhouse gases with growing energy needs, so it's important that we proceed with uranium sales," The Age quoted Nelson, as saying.

The previous John Howard Government had agreed in-principle to sell Uranium to India on the condition that the supplied nuclear fuel will be used for peaceful purposes, and the supply will be initiated only after the successful conclusion of Indo-US civil nuclear energy co-operation agreement.

However, the new Labor Government has gone back on the previous agreed principle by stating that New Delhi will get Australian nuclear fuel supply only after the former signs the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).

India has called for global nuclear disarmament, but it has opposed the NPT, saying that the international treaty is skewed in favour of existing nuclear powers.

Nelson said that it was 'important' to "proceed with the agreement" made with India by the Howard Government, and added that the incumbent Administration could not fulfil interim and long-term targets of cutting green house gas emissions without "assisting a nation like India, with burgeoning energy demands, to reduce its carbon footprint".

ANI