[Kabar-indonesia] Australia says no objection to selling uranium to Indonesia

[Joyo at aol.com]

Australia says no objection to selling uranium to Indonesia

Jakarta, November 15 (Xinhua) -- A security agreement signed
by Indonesia and Australia earlier this week has provided a
basis for Indonesia to buy uranium from Australia for a
planned nuclear power plant, according to a local media
Wednesday.

Local newspaper The Jakarta Post quoted Australian Foreign
Minister Alexander Downer as saying that the provision about
the nuclear industry was a very important step forward for
the two countries, which have pledged to support the non-
proliferation of nuclear weapons.

"If Indonesia wants to proceed with a civil nuclear power
program, and if Indonesia wants to buy uranium from
Australia, then Indonesia and Australia will have to
negotiate a separate nuclear safeguard agreement," the
minister said.

One provision of the agreement specifies that both countries
will "strengthen bilateral nuclear cooperation for peaceful
purposes, including to further the objective of non-
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and strengthen
international nuclear safety and security through enhanced
standards ...," he added.

Downer said that once a safeguard agreement is in place,
Australia, which holds 40 percent of the world's known
uranium reserves, would have no objection to selling uranium
to Indonesia.

Indonesia first signed an international non-proliferation
treaty in 1971, and since then it has committed to a
safeguard agreement and other treaties designed to stop the
spread of nuclear weapons.

Indonesia has long wanted to build nuclear power plants to
diversify its energy sources. Its initial plans were shelved
in 1997 in the face of mounting public opposition and the
discovery and exploitation of the large Natuna gas field.

But the plans were floated again last year as the country's
oil and gas reserves continue to run thin while it faces
mounting power shortages.

Indonesia is now preparing a legal framework for a nuclear
industry to make sure that its nuclear plants can begin
operation by 2017.

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------