Krishna to convince Australia for lifting ban on uranium exports to India: Sources
August 4th, 2009 - 5:59 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, Aug 4 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today left on a five-day visit to Australia. While the issue of racial attacks on Indian students which grabbed international attention will figure high on agenda during his meetings with Australian leadership. Highly placed sources have told ANI that the External Affairs Minister will also try and convince Canberra to lift the ban on uranium exports to India.
Australia along with other Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries had supported India to get a clean waiver from the 45 nation NSG which resulted in the end of India’s nuclear apartheid but have so far remained non committed on supplying uranium to India.
One of the world’s largest producers of uranium Australia has strong domestic policy, which bars the government to supply uranium to the states, which are non-signatory to the NPT. While the previous Government indicated some flexibility on the issue but the new labor party government led by Kevin Rudd is more stubborn on the issue. It will be an uphill task for New Delhi to convince Canberra.
However, source points out that India’ impeccable record of non proliferation will make India’s case and gradually there will be a move in this context.
Analyst also believes that if Australia has supported India at the NSG it implies that in principal it supports India’s nuclear ambitions and logically support will come.
Sources told ANI that India would not push Australia on the issue because it understands the domestic compulsions of the labor party which rode to power on the promise to promote disarmament.
While in Australia, External Affairs Minister will be meeting his counterpart Stephen Smith on August 7 in Cairns. He will also meet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He will also participate in the Annual Post Forum Dialogue Meeting of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), in Cairns.
Although New Delhi is not expecting a major paradigm shift from the Krishna’s visit but it expects that it will at least create a climate for change in the traditional uranium export policy and will lay the ground for future talks on this tricky issue. (ANI)
- India welcomes Australian Labor Party move on uranium sale - Dec 04, 2011
- Krishna to renew pitch for uranium sale in Australia - Jan 17, 2011
- Krishna to go to Australia, uranium sale, FTA on agenda - Jan 13, 2011
- Australia in secret uranium talks with India - Feb 10, 2011
- Australian ruling party votes for uranium sale to India - Dec 04, 2011
- Krishna visit: India asks Australia for uranium to end energy shortages - Jan 19, 2011
- India asks Australia to revisit its uranium supply policy - Jan 18, 2011
- Australia lauds India's nuclear record, but no uranium sale (Lead) - Jan 20, 2011
- India hopeful Australia will revisit uranium ban stand - Jan 18, 2011
- Aussie media lobbies for uranium for India - Oct 29, 2011
- Australian minister denies secret uranium talks with India - Oct 14, 2011
- India asks Australia to show progress in nuclear energy - Jan 20, 2011
- Oz govt. must agree to sell uranium to India for civilian use: Ex-diplomat to India - Jan 21, 2011
- Australia relents on lifting uranium ban, India hails move (Second Lead) - Nov 15, 2011
- Indians in Australia waiting eagerly for PM Manmohan Singh's visit - Jan 27, 2011
Tags: compulsions, external affairs minister, impeccable record, india australia, indian students, international attention, kevin rudd, labor party government, npt, nsg, nuclear ambitions, nuclear suppliers group, pacific island forum, paradigm shift, post forum, source points, stephen smith, uphill task, uranium australia, uranium exports