Australia says no change on Uranium issue, keen to seal N pact

Australia today said the next round of talks with India on civil nuclear cooperation were expected to be held by year-end even as it assured that previous government's decision to supply uranium will not be reversed by its new dispensation.
Noting that the last two rounds of talks to firm up a safeguard agreement for sale of uranium held earlier this year had gone "very well and it was positive and constructive from both sides", Australian High Commissioner Patrick Suckling said the intension was towards early conclusion of the pact.
"We feel we have made good progress (on the civil nuclear pact). But we have not put a time-frame for the negotiations to conclude because sometimes even the straight-looking issues become complex," he told reporters here.

"The intension of both the sides is to try and finish the safeguard agreement as fast as possible," he said
Speaking about policies of Australia's new conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who unveiled his cabinet today, Suckling said the PM has already stated that Australia has significant relationship on security and strategic issues with India and he would like to continue with that relationship.
Abbott, a Liberal party leader, won the September 7 election on the promises of stronger economic management and succeeded Kevin Rudd of Labour party.

In December 2011, Australia's then ruling Labour Party led by Julia Gillard had cleared the way for export of Australian uranium to India after a strong debate on the floor of the party's national conference reversing Australian ban on supply of uranium to non-NPT signatory countries.

Australia's known uranium resources are the world's largest - 31 per cent of the globe's total.
The High Commissioner said India should ensure that uranium would be used for peaceful purposes and not military purposes.
He said that Australia would like to further expand cooperation with India in areas like infrastructure, education, agri-business, bio-tech, pharma and information technology.
"In agri-business area, we would like share our expertise on productivity, yield and food processing, transportation of foodgrains, stocking," he said.