Fed: Aust should sell uranium to India: Robb

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2008
Fed: Aust should sell uranium to India: Robb

CANBERRA, Aug 17 AAP - Selling uranium to India would help to reduce international
greenhouse gas emissions, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb says.

The federal government refuses to sell uranium to India because it is not part of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Mr Robb said it was hypocritical for the government to sell uranium to countries like
China and Russia which, despite being part of the pact, use uranium for weapons.

He said selling uranium to India would help the nation significantly reduce its greenhouse
gas emissions.

"How can we justify selling the Uranium to China and to Russia in an unfettered way
... and yet we don't sell uranium to India?" Mr Robb said on Network Ten.

"India are looking to have uranium for clean energy purposes. By 2050, 35 per cent
of all of their power needs could be met by nuclear energy and that would save an enormous
amount in terms of greenhouse gasses.

"It is the one policy thing that (Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd could do which would have
more impact than anything else in Australia to lower global greenhouse gas emissions."

Mr Robb said it would also strengthen the relationship between India and Australia.

"We must maintain our relations, build our relations with other major countries such
as India and the selling of uranium is one way of doing that."

AAP sld/jt/cdh

KEYWORD: URANIUM ROBB

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