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The Age

Nuclear watchdog feels the heat over Russia deal
The Age

• William Birnbauer
• October 5, 2008

  AUSTRALIA’S nuclear safeguard agency has been accused of incompetence and providing false evidence to MPs who were assessing the merits of a proposed $1 billion uranium export deal with Russia.

  Protest groups, which have been critical of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) for many years, celebrated recently when the joint parliamentary committee on treaties recommended against proceeding with the Russian deal.

  The committee’s majority report rebuffed most of ASNO’s arguments in favour of a nuclear agreement, citing serious doubts about the checks and balances on Russia’s nuclear facilities……………………………..The committee also rejected ASNO’s assurances that safeguards would prevent Australian uranium from being used in nuclear weapons. “The committee considers it is important to recognise that the material and capacity to produce nuclear power intrinsically involves the capacity to produce fissile material usable for nuclear weapons,” it said.

Nuclear watchdog feels the heat over Russia deal | theage.com.au

Tags: Nuclear, antinuclear, radiation, uranium

October 6, 2008 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | weapons and war