Australia won't sell uranium to India until it signs the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, even though New Delhi agreed this week with Washington to open its civilian nuclear plants to inspection, Australia's foreign minister said.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer welcomed the US deal with India sealed on Thursday during a visit to New Delhi by US President George W. Bush, under which India agreed to open civilian nuclear facilities to international inspections for the first time.
But he said Australia would not alter its policy of blocking the sale of uranium to countries that fail to sign onto the nonproliferation treaty.
No policy shift
"If we were to export uranium to India, that would constitute a significant shift in our policy. It would open up questions of whether we would export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well," Downer told Australia Broadcasting Corp radio.
"I think it is probably easier for us to support the current policy," Downer added.
"It is probably better for us to give all the support we can to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and our view is one day we would like India to sign that treaty and we haven't withdrawn from that position,'' he said.
Downer defended continuing negotiations to sell uranium to China, saying Beijing had signed the international treaty.
On his first visit to India Bush secured a landmark nuclear energy agreement, which will open most Indian reactors to international inspections and provide the nation with US nuclear technology.
Under the accord, the US will share its nuclear know-how and fuel with India to help power its fast-growing economy. It repre-sents a major shift in policy for the US, which imposed temporary sanctions on India in 1998 after it conducted nuclear tests.
Not final
The agreement will require US congressional approval, which Bush acknowledged would be difficult to win.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard is scheduled to travel to India with a trade delegation next week.
Although second to Canada in production, Australia boasts the biggest uranium reserves in the world. The Olympic Dam mine in South Australia state holds 38 percent of the world's known uranium resources.
Uranium mining is a politically sensitive issue in Australia, where output and offshore sales have long been restricted.
Downer said last year that China could be importing 9,000 tonnes of uranium a year by 2020, giving it the potential to become Australia's largest customer.
But Canberra wants assurances that the material would not be put to military use or re-exported to third countries.
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