Australia battles dilemma over uranium exports to India

Sydney, Mar 11 (UNI) Despite a successful visit to India by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the issue of Canberra exporting uranium to India is hanging in balance.

The bilateral links between the two countries may have reached a new high after Mr John Howard's hectic three-day tour of India, but the resource rich South Pacific country has not been able to decisively tackle the issue of uranium exports to India, analysts say.

While the hosts focused on getting a nod for sourcing the precious nuclear fuel from Australia, Mr Howard channelised his energies to sell Australian education, research and other business opportunities to the ever-burgeoning Indian middleclass.

A number of politicians have opposed Australia overturning its policy of not exporting uranium to non-signatories of Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Howard Government is also not oblivious of pros of selling uranium to India.

Mr Howard may have shown some uncharacteristic signs of indecisiveness over the issue of uranium sale to India, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer does not seem to be in any mood to oblige the south Asian economic powerhouse at this stage.

With the US reportedly showing no concern whether Australia sells uranium to India or not, Mr Downer's position has become even stronger.

''The Americans regard this as an Australian matter and are not lobbying for a change,'' Mr Downer told The Age newspaper.

His counterpart in the Opposition, Mr Kevin Rudd has also made it clear that Mr Howard's nod to sell uranium to India would undermine the NPT just when the international community is trying to hold Iran to account against the treaty's safeguards.

''Given the high stakes at play in the international community's efforts to hold Iran to account under the NPT, John Howard's flirtation with selling uranium outside the NPT is a potentially dangerous development,'' Mr Rudd said.

Greens energy spokeswoman senator Christine Milne is another politician who has come out firing against uranium exports to India.

The Australian politician has criticised recent comments by Australia India Business Council chairman Neville Roach that Australia should fall into line with the US policy when finalised.

''Reveal what is really driving this push to sell Australian uranium to India - private profit,'' he said.

At over 40 per cent, Australia has world's largest reserve of uranium which is also referred to as yellowcake.

Even though mining of uranium is banned in most of the Australian states and territories, Australia still exports uranium to a number of countries which are signatories of the NPT.

India, along with Pakistan and Israel, has not ratified the treaty hence Australia's refusal to sell uranium.

Australia has been forced to rethink ban on uranium exports to India, thanks to an agreement between the US and India under which the former has agreed to sell nuclear technology to the emerging Asian superpower.

Mr Howard's visit had come days after US President George W Bush's historical visit to India.

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