Australia rules out uranium sales to India - Yahoo! News

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard was non-committal to a request by India to lift an embargo on uranium sales after the two countries signed trade and defence agreements.

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"Policies are not changed at a press conference," Howard said at a joint media briefing with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when asked whether Australia would review its decision on the ban.

Howard, in India on a four-day visit, held hour-long talks with Singh earlier Monday. The two sides also signed six pacts on defence and trade.

India's talks with Australia on uranium supplies came just days after New Delhi and Washington reached a landmark agreement on sharing civilian nuclear technology.

The agreement ends a three-decade-old international ban on civilian atomic trade with India, which has nuclear weapons but has not signed the UN's nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Australia, which has the world's largest uranium deposits, does not sell uranium to countries which are not signatories to the NPT.

Australia is currently hammering out a deal with India's giant neighbour and economic rival China for the export of uranium to that country -- which is a signatory to the NPT.

Howard, however, called the Indo-US deal "very significant".

"We look at it positively. We are anxious to obtain more details and more information. The officials of the two countries will be in touch to have better understanding," he said.

"It is an agreement between the two countries and is a significant development."

Singh said that the world should take note of India's record on nuclear nonproliferation.

"We have an impeccable record of non-proliferation. We are also committed to self-imposed moratorium," he said.

The Indian prime minister said he "sincerely expected" Australia to review its decision not to sell uranium to India.

Australia was equally non-committal on whether it would use its influence with the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group to win approval for the nuclear deal.

"I sincerely hope that Australian government will take a positive stand ... It is important to point out that we do have a long-standing policy. We are not going to suddenly change it," Howard said.

Singh was quoted by The Australian newspaper Monday as saying that India needed "to import uranium and our needs will increase in years to come".

"I hope Australia will be an important partner in this," he said.

The Australian prime minister also announced a 25 million Australian dollar (18.6 million US dollar) research assistance to India to boost cooperation in science and technology, including in biotechnology.

The two countries signed Monday six agreements on defence cooperation, trade, air services, excise and customs, biotechnology and strategic research.

They also reaffirmed their resolve to fight terrorism.

Prior to his trip Howard, who celebrated 10 years in office last week, had said he wanted to build trade ties and deepen the "strategic relationship" between Australia and India.

The conservative Australian leader met Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi before holding talks with Singh.

Indian trade body the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry said Howard's visit could spur India-Australia trade -- presently at around 5.5 billion dollars -- to 16 billion dollars by 2010.