New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) Australia Thursday again assured India that “full force of law” would be used to protect Indian students in that country, and sought to move ties beyond the students’ controversy and uranium sale to a wide-ranging strategic and economic partnership.
Underlining that its position of not selling uranium to countries which have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is not directed against India, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, however, kept the door open by lauding India’s non-proliferation record.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with Rudd on a range of bilateral and global issues, including the global financial crisis, terrorism, energy, climate change and the reform of international bodies.

Manmohan Singh said at a joint press appearance “I have conveyed my concerns to Prime Minister Rudd over the safety, security and well-being of our students in Australia.”

The prime minister said he had been assured by Rudd that it is the responsibility of Australians to ensure the security of foreign students.

The two countries decided to upgrade their ties to the level of strategic partnership and agreed on a joint declaration of security cooperation to combat terrorism and piracy.

The two leaders also discussed the creation of a free trade area and agreed to push a joint feasibility study for the purpose.

They also decided to set up a CEOs forum to boost economic ties.

In a major foreign policy speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs, Rudd aired his “disgust” at attacks on Indian students and assured that criminal attacks of this nature will not be tolerated.

Using a cricket analogy, he said that India and Australia should go in for a long solid innings rather than a 20-20 match marked by short bursts of enthusiasm and “a waxing and waning interest between our two countries”.

Understanding India’s emergence as a significant global player, Rudd backed New Delhi’s push to become a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum and pointed to a genuine strategic partnership that will include closer political, economic, defence and energy ties.

“As Prime Minister of Australia, I am deeply disturbed and disgusted by attacks of violence against any foreign students studying in our country as our guests,” Rudd said at the Indian Council for World Affairs.

“They have been criminal attacks targeting Indian students for the little money they earn to support their studies. These attacks will not be tolerated,” he stressed. “They will be dealt with by the full force of the Australian law enforcement and criminal justice systems,” said Rudd, who began his two-day visit to India Wednesday in the shadow of fresh attacks on Indian students in Melbourne.

“The Australian government is committed to doing its utmost to guarantee that the sons and daughters Indian parents entrust to the care of the Australian community remain safe and come home with a valuable education and wonderful memories,” he said.

India recently overtook China to become the largest source of overseas students in Australia. Around 100,000 Indian students study in Australia.

Lauding India’s non-proliferation record,” Rudd, however stuck to Canberra’s position of not selling uranium to countries which have not signed the NPT, but indicated such a possibility in the future.

Rudd added that this “is not a policy directed at India.” “It applies globally and it has since 1978 under different Australian governments,” Rudd said. “The government understands that India looks to the day when its ambitious civil nuclear energy programme can include Australian uranium,” he said.

He underlined that Australia, which has nearly 40 per cent of the world’s uranium reserves, was an active supporter in the Nuclear Suppliers Group of lifting the nuclear moratorium against India following the US-India nuclear deal.