Howard follows Bush in making world less safe

Howard follows Bush in moving to make the world less safe

Prime Minister John Howard is set to undermine international law and make the world less safe, Australian Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said today.

"It took just a few days for Prime Minister Howard to walk away from last week's commitment that Australia would not sell uranium to India because it is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT)," Senator Milne said in Canberra today.

"The deputy sheriff has once taken his running orders from US President George Bush and is yet again undermining international law.

"Australia has already torn up international law to follow George Bush into Iraq and Guantanamo Bay; now the world will be less safe as they tear up the NPT.

"At least 35 per cent of India's nuclear reactors will be outside the scope of international inspections under the US-India deal.

"India already has a fast-breeder reactor, capable of producing plutonium, the basis of nuclear weapons.

"Prime Minister Howard needs to explain to the Australian people how the economic returns from a mineral boom justify destroying a long-standing convention designed to underpin global peace and disarmament.

"Trying to use climate change as a justification for exporting uranium is ill-founded and unacceptable given all the risks associated with nuclear power.

"Will Australia now sell uranium to Israel and Pakistan, which are also outside the NPT, or will we await further instructions from the US?

"The Greens call on the Australian government to immediately abandon plans to destroy the NPT and instead use its position in the Nuclear Suppliers Group to block the US-India deal.

"International law governs the behaviour between nations. Undermining it only contributes to global insecurity and fear."

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