The Australian Greens say Prime Minister Rudd now has all the evidence he needs not to ratify Howard's dangerous uranium deal with Russia - after the findings of a Parliamentary Report were released today.
The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' (JSCOT) report on the Nuclear Co-operation Agreement with Russia was tabled in the Senate this morning, and recommends the agreement signed in 2007 by the then Prime Minister John Howard and Russia's Vladimir Putin not be ratified.
"This a bad deal for Australia, and there is no guarantee Australian uranium won't be used to free up Russian domestic uranium for their weapons programme," said Australian Greens spokesperson on nuclear issues, Senator Scott Ludlam.
"We welcome the Committee's concern about these issues, which is consistent with the goals of Mr. Rudd's International Commission on Nuclear Non Proliferation and Disarmament."
"The Greens alone opposed this deal in 2007, on numerous grounds including nuclear safety, human rights, and international peace and security grounds,"
"The committee report has come to the same conclusion as the Greens.
After thorough examination and canvassing of broad expertise from the scientific, political, medical and environmental sectors, the message is clear - this deal should not be ratified," said Senator Ludlam.
"Russia's human rights record should be in Steven Smith's mind.
Alongside recent military activity in Georgia, they are also actively modernising their nuclear weapons stockpile, transferring nuclear fuel and reactor technology to Iran, and in January this year the Russian Chief of the Armed Forces claimed the right to use nuclear weapons "preventatively."
"Australia must play an active leadership role on nuclear disarmament issues. We need to breathe life and confidence into the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, rather than undermining it with deals with nuclear-armed Russia," he concluded.
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Rachel Pemberton
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The Office of Senator Scott Ludlam
Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia
PERTH: Tel 08 9225 5799 | Fax: 08 9225 5599 GPO Box B58, Perth WA 6838
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