International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Australia - say no to Russia deal

ICAN celebrated the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' recommendation that the Government not ratify the current deal to supply uranium to India. Read more.

The Government is still considering whether to follow these recommendations (see ICAN news). 

E-mail the Prime Minister and insist he follow the advice of the expert committee.

Why should Australia reject the Russian deal?

1. Russia has not honoured its disarmament obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but has called to make its nuclear weapons stockpile (with an explosive force equivalent to 200,000 Hiroshima sized bombs) "more compact but more effective" according to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
2. The existing safeguards system is inadequate in determining whether Australian uranium will be used for Russia's civil or military nuclear program
3. The existing safeguards system neither guarantees inspections nor applies to military nuclear facilities - anywhere
4. Nuclear safety in Russia is poor
5. The treaty does not rule out nuclear fuel reprocessing (which separates Plutonium, usable in nuclear weapons)
6. Nuclear power is not a solution to climate change, and the proposed deal would have only small effects on greenhouse gas emissions.