First sign NPT then get Uranium: Australia to India

[Spring Onion]

Australia not to sell uranium to India till it signs NPT

Press Trust Of India
Melbourne, September 08, 2008
First Published: 08:51 IST(8/9/2008)
Last Updated: 09:02 IST(8/9/2008)

Print



Australian government will not sell uranium to India despite welcoming Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) decision to end the 34-year long embargo on nuclear trade with India, official said.

"However, Labor is committed to supplying uranium to only those countries party to the NPT. Australia will therefore not be supplying uranium to India while it is not a member of the NPT," Australian trade Minister Simon Crean was quoted as saying in 'The Australian' newspaper report today.

Labor party welcomed the decision by NSG as strengthening the global security of nuclear facilities, Crean said.

However, the federal Opposition claims Labor's policy was hypocritical and said Foreign Minister should use his next visit to India to announce a new uranium policy.

"Foreign Minister Stephen Smith should use next week's visit to India to announce a new uranium export policy for New Delhi," Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Andrew Robb said yesterday.

While critics of the Vienna announcement said the decision would undermine the non-proliferation efforts, Robb said Canberra needed to support India in efforts to produce greenhouse gas-free electricity.

"One of the first foreign policy acts of the Rudd government was to renege on a decision by the Howard government to help India supply greenhouse gas-free electricity to its growing population by providing uranium under an agreement being negotiated between the US and India," he said.

"Since that time, the Rudd Government has been humiliated into supporting the US-India agreement at meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the NSG which effectively condoned the sale of uranium to India by other countries around the world," he added.


Australia not to sell uranium to India till it signs NPT- Hindustan Times

 

[Spring Onion]

No uranium to India till it signs NPT: Australia
8 Sep 2008, 0926 hrs IST,PTI

MELBOURNE: Australian government will not sell uranium to India despite welcoming Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) decision to end the 34-year long embargo on nuclear trade with India, official said.

"However, Labor is committed to supplying uranium to only those countries party to the NPT. Australia will therefore not be supplying uranium to India while it is not a member of the NPT," Australian trade Minister Simon Crean was quoted as saying in The Australian newspaper report on Monday.

Labor party welcomed the decision by NSG as strengthening the global security of nuclear facilities, Crean said.

However, the federal Opposition claims Labor's policy was hypocritical and said Foreign Minister should use his next visit to India to announce a new uranium policy.

"Foreign Minister Stephen Smith should use next week's visit to India to announce a new uranium export policy for New Delhi," Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Andrew Robb said on Sunday.

While critics of the Vienna announcement said the decision would undermine the non-proliferation efforts, Robb said Canberra needed to support India in efforts to produce greenhouse gas-free electricity.

"One of the first foreign policy acts of the Rudd government was to renege on a decision by the Howard government to help India supply greenhouse gas-free electricity to its growing population by providing uranium under an agreement being negotiated between the US and India," he said.

"Since that time, the Rudd Government has been humiliated into supporting the US-India agreement at meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the NSG which effectively condoned the sale of uranium to India by other countries around the world," he added.

No uranium to India till it signs NPT: Australia-India-The Times of India

 

[ashfaque]

Jana try to understand every country's situation w.r.t their current policies. Also some times its neccessary to give such kind statements so that further course of action can be discussed at bigger forum. You can see Australia's opposition party has said lets chance export policy for India...

Also I would like to draw your attention for things happening fo India's waiver -

First American asked few small countries to oppose the deal, so that negociation looks authentic.
China who agreed to give support, also created some cosmatic problem.
Now Australia giving some statements, does not mean they will not supply uranium.

Gist is do not always take face values...

 

[Spring Onion]

Jana try to understand every country's situation w.r.t their current policies. Also some times its neccessary to give such kind statements so that further course of action can be discussed at bigger forum. You can see Australia's opposition party has said lets chance export policy for India...

Also I would like to draw your attention for things happening fo India's waiver -

First American asked few small countries to oppose the deal, so that negociation looks authentic.
China who agreed to give support, also created some cosmatic problem.
Now Australia giving some statements, does not mean they will not supply uranium.

Gist is do not always take face values...

Yes that is.Australia has been saying so for the last many decades.

Lets see how much it stands up to its claim. Every country act according to her own interests.

 

[U-571]

taking indian-Australian "good relations" into account it seems pretty weird or not???

 

[Goodperson]

Jana you again Quoting Indian media here is some news from the same.

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India

WASHINGTON: Apparently worried over the possibility of other NSG members getting away with lucrative nuclear contracts with India after the landmark waiver, the US has asked New Delhi not to "disadvantage" American companies should the 123 agreement not get through the current Congress.

"We have talked to the Indian government about not disadvantaging American companies and I think they recognise and appreciate American leadership on this issue. But obviously, the best thing would be to get it through Congress" Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Rice remarked.

".. we will have to see. The congressional calendar is short, but the main thing is the international work is now done. I certainly hope to get it through because it's also a big step for the US-India relationship," Rice told reporters travelling with her in Algiers, capital of Algeria.

Terming the waiver granted to India by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers group (NSG) as a "huge step" in bilateral ties, Rice also complimented the role played by the Indian government at the NSG meeting in Vienna.

"This is an important step forward. I have to say that India showed a lot of leadership," she said.

"We got lot of help from the Indian government to make this possible, but also from a number of delegations that worked very closely with us. And I think that it is a really very big step forward for the non-proliferation framework" she was quoted as saying in a transcript released by the State Department.

Rice said that she did make a "lot" of calls in the run up to the decision in Vienna but would not divulge the content of the various conversations she had.

"...I had extensive discussions of this when I was in New Zealand, with the prime minister and the foreign minister. I have talked at least to the Irish, the Austrians, the Chinese. I will get you a list... but it's been a lot," she said.

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India-USA-World-The Times of India

 

[Rohit]

Feck australia. We will get nuclear fuel from Canada or any other country, we have the NSG waiver now.

Btw, some people are too happy at every obstacle that comes in the way of Nuclear deal. But India will overcome, we have risen as a power.

China is no more the sole power of Asia.

 

[tyagi]

Feck australia. We will get nuclear fuel from Canada or any other country, we have the NSG waiver now.

Btw, some people are too happy at every obstacle that comes in the way of Nuclear deal. But India will overcome, we have risen as a power.

China is no more the sole power of Asia.

dude what's wrong with u where does china come in this .it is the policy of the government in power in Australia to not to sell uranium to country which have not signed NPT .but i do believe they will change there policy in a year or so.and for your information Australia has more than 50% of uranium reserve of the world.

 

[Spring Onion]

Jana you again Quoting Indian media here is some news from the same.

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India

WASHINGTON: Apparently worried over the possibility of other NSG members getting away with lucrative nuclear contracts with India after the landmark waiver, the US has asked New Delhi not to "disadvantage" American companies should the 123 agreement not get through the current Congress.

"We have talked to the Indian government about not disadvantaging American companies and I think they recognise and appreciate American leadership on this issue. But obviously, the best thing would be to get it through Congress" Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Rice remarked.

".. we will have to see. The congressional calendar is short, but the main thing is the international work is now done. I certainly hope to get it through because it's also a big step for the US-India relationship," Rice told reporters travelling with her in Algiers, capital of Algeria.

Terming the waiver granted to India by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers group (NSG) as a "huge step" in bilateral ties, Rice also complimented the role played by the Indian government at the NSG meeting in Vienna.

"This is an important step forward. I have to say that India showed a lot of leadership," she said.

"We got lot of help from the Indian government to make this possible, but also from a number of delegations that worked very closely with us. And I think that it is a really very big step forward for the non-proliferation framework" she was quoted as saying in a transcript released by the State Department.

Rice said that she did make a "lot" of calls in the run up to the decision in Vienna but would not divulge the content of the various conversations she had.

"...I had extensive discussions of this when I was in New Zealand, with the prime minister and the foreign minister. I have talked at least to the Irish, the Austrians, the Chinese. I will get you a list... but it's been a lot," she said.

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India-USA-World-The Times of India

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India

That was bound to happen after all as someone said US dosnt give anything in free

Apparently worried over the possibility of other NSG members getting away with lucrative nuclear contracts with India after the landmark waiver, the US has asked New Delhi not to "disadvantage" American companies should the 123 agreement not get through the current Congress.

hmmm well at the moement US is just appearently worried over this possibility but she failed to see that the text of the deal allows India to buy from other countries other than US and it would be intresting to note if India goes altogather to other markets instead of US what will be reaction of US.

 

[Marshal]

Don't disadvantage our companies, US urges India

That was bound to happen after all as someone said US dosnt give anything in free




hmmm well at the moement US is just appearently worried over this possibility but she failed to see that the text of the deal allows India to buy from other countries other than US and it would be intresting to note if India goes altogather to other markets instead of US what will be reaction of US.

Interestingly..Indian NSA has already said in an Interview that the US will get it share of the pie as it has helped india to end its N-Isolation.....

 

[nitesh]

guys seems like it is going to be like this. There is plan to build 8 reactors immediately

2 will be from USA
rest 6 will be between russia and france.

then slowly the private sector will be allowed to join in the party and then the actual money will start flowing in.

PS: this is my personal view

 

[Spring Onion]

Interestingly..Indian NSA has already said in an Interview that the US will get it share of the pie as it has helped india to end its N-Isolation.....

And US will defintly want more than its share of the pie

 

[Marshal]

And US will defintly want more than its share of the pie

who cares after all we got what we wanted

 

[Neo]

Feck australia. We will get nuclear fuel from Canada or any other country, we have the NSG waiver now.

Btw, some people are too happy at every obstacle that comes in the way of Nuclear deal. But India will overcome, we have risen as a power.

China is no more the sole power of Asia.

Don't underestimate the opposition and anti nuclear lobby in many NSG member countries. Having a waiver is one thing, putting it into practice is another.
Waiver gives you the privilege to engage nuclear trade, not the right to demand fuel or uranium ore. Its not a free ticket!
Your focus will be on three countries, i.e. Russia, France and USA...all friendly, supportive and $$$ hungry of Indian nuclear programme.

US bullied many governments to push the deal, one thing she can not do is to bully the people of any democratic NSG country. And general sentiment in many western media is negative on the deal.

So negative public sentiment may cause countries to back off from selling to India and Canada is already sensitive issue.

Once burnt, twice shy.

 

[Neo]

Here ya go!

Japan media denounces NSG waiver to India​

* Hiroshima mayor says move will hurt N-disarmament efforts
* India welcomes decision saying it will ensure economic growth​

TOKYO: Japanese media and activists on Sunday denounced a decision allowing India to engage in international nuclear trade, warning it could hinder future efforts to completely abolish nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls the export and sale of nuclear technology, approved a one-off waiver of its rules for India on Saturday. It was a vital step in securing a 2005 India-US civilian technology nuclear deal. Japan is the only nation that has experienced nuclear attacks.

Disarmament: The mayor of Hiroshima City, where the US military dropped an atomic bomb for the first time on August 6, 1945, deplored the move. “It is clear that this will make the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) a dead letter and will become a huge obstacle for the future efforts toward complete abolition of nuclear weapons,” Tadatoshi Akiba said in a statement. “It is extremely regrettable that countries concerned, including our country, came to the unanimous agreement,” he said, according to Jiji Press.

Japanese media had lamented Tokyo’s decision to follow the US initiative despite a long-held policy by Japan to work towards non-proliferation. The NSG had banned nuclear trading with India because it refuses to sign the NPT, having developed atomic bombs in secret and conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. Washington wanted a special waiver so it could share civilian nuclear technology with New Delhi.

Critics say the deal undermines international non-proliferation efforts and accuse the nuclear powers of pursuing commercial and political gains. “Double-standard for nuclear superpower,” the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper said in a headline. “The decision is hard to understand,” the Mainichi said in its editorial. “We hold extremely strong worries that the international community’s sound judgement about non-proliferation of nuclear weapons was bent by pressure from the United States,” it said. Japan has helped to weaken the NPT regime, the Mainichi added.

The influential Asahi Shimbun also expressed its worries that the deal would erode the foundation of the NPT regime and noted the NSG was created in response to the 1974 Indian nuclear experiment. “Strong criticism has been voiced that the agreement goes against the spirit of the NPT regime,” the Asahi said.

India: The Indian government, meanwhile, welcomed the decision by NSG to end the decades-old ban on trading with the country, saying it would propel India’s future economic growth. The government called the nuclear trade waiver a “momentous” milestone in its quest to achieve energy security and meet the challenge of global warming.

The waiver - a vital step in securing a controversial 2005 India-US civilian technology nuclear accord - marked the end of India’s “decades-long isolation from the nuclear mainstream,” Premier Manmohan Singh said. “The opening of full civil nuclear co-operation between India and the international community will be good for India and for the world,” he said. “It will give an impetus to India’s pursuit of environmentally sustainable economic growth.”

For global nuclear energy companies, the decision opens the door to an atomic reactor market worth billions of dollars, with India aiming to boost its share of nuclear power to five to seven percent by 2030. A host of nuclear companies from French state-controlled Areva, Russia’s Rosatom Corp to General Electric of the United States have been jockeying for a slice of India’s lucrative atomic market. afp