Uranium sales to India possible: Howard.


The Prime Minister says the Federal Government is considering the possibility of selling uranium to India but India would have to adhere to certain safeguards.
The Indian Government has asked the Federal Government to allow it to import Australian uranium even though it has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The United States has done a nuclear co-operation deal with India.
John Howard says he supports the sale if India can guarantee the uranium will be used for peaceful purposes.
"As time goes by if India were to meet safeguard obligations some Australians would see it as anomalous if we would sell uranium to China but not to India," Mr Howard said.
"But at the moment it would be against policy and there would need to be good reason to change that policy, but the issue is obviously under consideration."
Earlier today, Nationals leader Mark Vaile said there was no change in Australia's policy.
"Our policy remains the same as it has been in the way we addressed this issue with China," he said.
"We maintained we could not do business with China until we had the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed and in place and that is the policy we would apply today to India."
Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says it is time the Government clarified its position.
"We have a national interest in taking the lead in rebuilding the non-proliferation regime," Mr Rudd said.