ACF warns on China uranium deal. 02/04/2006. ABC News Online

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says it remains fundamentally opposed to any deal to export uranium to China.

Prime Minister John Howard will hold talks in Canberra tomorrow with the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, where an agreement is expected to struck over uranium exports.

ACF president Ian Lowe says such a move would further regional insecurity and increase nuclear risks.

"No matter how strong and how valid the assurances that China or any other country gives us, once we export uranium it's outside of our control, so we're making the world a dirtier and more dangerous place by exporting uranium," he said.

Professor Lowe is also not convinced by the argument that it would be environmentally better for power-hungry China to seek nuclear, rather than coal-fired, energy.

"Nuclear might be better than coal but it's not nearly as good as renewables," he said.

"Renewables are our real economic opportunity and the real environmental opportunity. In fact China's planning to get 15 per cent of its energy from renewables and only 6 per cent from nuclear."

Mr Howard says there will be no special deals for China to invest in Australian resources companies.

The Chinese are keen to pursue exploration rights.

Mr Howard has told Channel Ten that if China is thinking of investing in a resources company such as Woodside, it will be subject to the usual regulations.

"Any proposal like that would have to run the gauntlet of foreign investment policy," he said.

Labor meanwhile is wrestling with its no new uranium mines policy.

Labor's federal resources spokesman Martin Ferguson says the debate has moved on and he does not think South Australia will be prevented from developing its Honeymoon mine.

"I'll back Rann and, in my opinion, that'll be the view of the Labor party," he said.

Labor says Australia should now be concentrating on strengthening the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

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