Melbourne, Oct. 11 (PTI): Australia is not planning to sell uranium to India, its
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

His remark comes apparently in the wake of Monday's nuclear test by North Korea
which Australia feels could trigger an arms race in the region. Canberra's stand
has been a nuclear weapon-free world.

"We're not planning to sell uranium to India (for its civilian nuclear power
programme)", Downer said in a speech to an energy security conference.

Earlier, the Foreign Minister said "we've made no decision to sell uranium to India
and it's not really an issue we've given any consideration to in the last few weeks
or months".

He said "we have no plans to reconsider the issue at all," according to a media
report.

India, which is not a signatory to non-proliferation treaty (NPT), has appealed to
Australia to supply uranium for its civilian nuclear power plants. It has requested
Canberra to reconsider its policy that currently allows the sale of uranium only to
NPT signatories.

Liberal lawmaker Russell Trood has said he believed the North Korean nuclear test
signified the time for a change in uranium policy had come.

In the face of pressure from New Delhi and Washington, the Government had
been expected to reverse its policy and supply uranium to India.

Source: The Hindu