FED:Please explain uranium move, Greens demand

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2011
FED:Please explain uranium move, Greens demand

CANBERRA, Feb 10 AAP - The Australian Greens are demanding the Gillard government explain
whether it privately supports uranium sales to India.

Leaked WikiLeaks cables reveal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson told US officials
in 2009 a deal to supply India with nuclear fuel could be reached within years.

The stance contradicts the government's public position of insisting that India sign
up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty before being allowed to import Australian uranium.

Greens nuclear spokesman Scott Ludlum says it appears the government is playing a "double game".

"I swear some days you can smell the uranium on Martin Ferguson's breath," he told
reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

The Greens are demanding the government make a statement of clarification to parliament
on Thursday.

Labor senator Doug Cameron says Australia should not entertain the idea of trading
uranium with India until the developing nation met international obligations.

The opposition says it is encouraged by signs the government appears to be more flexible
on uranium sales.

"It finally seems that the Labor party is showing some commonsense on this issue,"

opposition resources spokesman Ian Macfarlane told reporters, adding that it made no sense
not to sell uranium to India.

India has been lobbying the Australian government to overturn its ban on uranium sales.

Australia controls the world's largest known resources of uranium, and is the third
largest producer of uranium after Kazakhstan and Canada.

AAP sld/pv/rl/was

KEYWORD: URANIUM

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