Australia to sell uranium to India

Melbourne, Aug 15: The National Security Committee of the Australian Federal Cabinet has allowed the sale of uranium to India. The Committee arrived at this decision, according to the Australian newspaper, late last night, clearing the uranium exports to India.

Australian government had been hesitating to sell the crucial nuclear fuel to India as it is not a signatory to the International Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The decision coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Indian Independence but has sparked an instant fury from among the anti-nuclear lobby and environmentalists.

The environmentalists have been first to lodge protest as they fear that the Australian uranium may end up not in the power plants as envisaged and promised by the Indian government but in the nuclear weapons. They have been expressing concerns that such nuclear weapons could be used against Australia.

''That's all a farce, the Indians themselves have said will free us up to put the other uranium we've got into our nuclear weapon system,'' Greens leader Senator Brown has been quoted by The Australian as saying.

''Australia is directly fuelling the production of nuclear weapons for a country which will soon have rockets that could be reached Australia,'' he added.

However, a condition of the deal would be that the Australian inspectors would be authorised to check the uranium supply to ensure it is used for peaceful purposes, the newspaper reported.

UNI