Australian cabinet to consider uranium sale to India

Manila, July 31 (UNI) Australia, an important member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), will shortly consider the issue of the sale of Uranium to India, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee disclosed here today.

He also said both countries were strengthening the framework for cooperation against terrorism through negotiations on an Extradition Treaty and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters.

The External Affairs Minister who met Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer here on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Meeting of Foreign Ministers, said he was informed by Mr Downer that the Australian Cabinet would soon be considering the issue of the sale of Uranium to India.

Mr Mukherjee who arrived here yesterday to attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) Meeting of Foreign Ministers, the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meeting, said both he and Mr Downer had agreed that the Foreign Minsterial Framework Dialogue between the two countries should be scheduled in Canberra in the near future.

The two Ministers expressed satisfaction at the ''rapid strides'' in cooperation in many areas by the two countries while Mr Mukherjee said Australia was becoming an important source for resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.

Defence and security cooperation between the two countries was focused on the challenges posed by counter-terrorism and maritime security, he said.

''We are also strengthening the framework for legal cooperation through negotiations on a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters and an Extradition Treaty. The Australian Foreign Minsiter informed me that the Australian Cabinet will soon be considering the issue of the sale of uranium to India,'' he added.

The External Affairs Minister said he and Mr Downer had also agreed that the Foreign Minsiterial Framework Dialogue between India and Australia should be scheduled in Canberra in the near future.

UNI