Australia’s Defence Minister Stephen Smith said India represented a “unique” case for uranium sales Thursday and denied that lifting its export ban to New Delhi opened the door to countries like Pakistan.
The ruling centre-left Labor party voted to overturn its long-standing ban on uranium sales to India at its national policy summit last weekend despite the fact that it was still not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Smith, on an official visit to India, said the decision had been “warmly welcomed” but rebuffed suggestions that Pakistan may want a similar arrangement.
“The circumstances for India so far as export of uranium is concerned are, in my view, unique,” Smith told ABC television from India.
“Pakistan does not have the same record so far as proliferation is concerned. There have been serious expressions of concern about proliferation in the past.”
Though India had not signed the NPT — Labor’s rationale for withholding sales until the weekend’s policy u-turn — Smith said it had agreed to split its civilian and military nuclear programmes and vowed not to engage in atomic tests.
It had also submitted to the authority of civil nuclear regulators.
“India is the world’s largest democracy. There’s never been any serious suggestion or any evidence of proliferation on India’s part,” he said.
He described the ban as “an irritant or a grain of sand in the relationship (that) is now gone” and said he and Indian officials had agreed that they could and should do more to to boost strategic cooperation.
“The whole world is moving to the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and India is very much a central part of that,” he said.
Smith said he had also discussed the recent announcement of a US troop boost in northern Australia with Indian counterpart A.K Antony and he understood that “Australia has an alliance relationship with the United States.
“India also understands that Australia has a strong view that the engagement of the United States in the Asia Pacific, indeed the enhanced engagement of the United States in the Asia Pacific, is a good thing for peace, prosperity and stability,” Smith said.
Australia describes India — its fourth-largest export market — as at the “front rank” of its global partnerships and aims to strengthen ties beyond economic and trade links into areas such as defence and security.
I hope, we will find Uranium from our own soil. InshaAllah..
One day Australia will rue it’s decision of not selling uranium to Pakistan. And it also must remember that Pakistan did not emerge as nuclear power with Australian yellow cake.
I hope Indian and Pakistan find peace and unity. We are the same thee is no two ways about it. oUr taste buds are the same, our interest in art is the same. WHy are we fighting each other? If we unite as nations, we don't have to depend on anyone. We have good agricultural lands, we have enough resources and we have a huge population for all our businesses to thrive and prosper. If we can create a zone like the Euro zone with Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal,Bhutan and Burma we will be the most powerful economical, military and social block of the world where we will have minimal dependence for resources on any other nation………..
Why is the Pakistani Military spending so much money on destroying India and depriving regular Pakistainis of good education and infrastructure and consequnetly a good life? WHy are we playing cat and mouse with each other when we should embrace each other and be strong against our enemies. WHy is India not extending the hand of peace and trying to help Pakistan in the hour of need when foreginers are running all over her. Shame people, shame on all of you. All our ancestors will be so embarassed. The subcontinent has been ruled by some great kings like Asoka, Akbar, Ranjeet SIngh of Punjab and you name it. We have also had Gandhi, Nehru,Jinnah, BAGATH SINGH etc. WOnder what they think about our foolsihness and stupidity for falling right into the hands of British and the Americans. In the name of Kashmir thousands of Pakistnai and Indian youngsters are dying when they should be taking care of their families and making a good life. Why? We will only win if we both win. If one of us lose we all lose.
THe BRITISH and the AMERICANS just want our resources and rule over us. You can't blame them coz they are just being themselves. However, its our responsibilty to protet our own and not let ourselves to be used a pawn agaisnt each other. Once they are done with one of us they will try and destroy the other. They are no one's friend and it is very obvious. THink about this guys. Don't wait for our govt to sign agreement on dotted. Lets start with the common man on the street. NO MATTER WAHT LETS STOP HATING EACH OTHER AND INFLICTING HARM ON EACH OTHER. LETS TELL OTHERS THAT WE WONT LET THEM USE US AGAINST EACH OTHER! May our lands and its people prosper for ever!
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