View from Australia: Uranium policy shift is roiling Australians

International Herald Tribune ^ | 08/01/2006 | Raymond Bonner International Herald Tribune

[Republicain]

At a time when the United States, along with the European Union and Russia, wants to reduce the amount of nuclear material washing around the world, another country is on the verge of expanding its production and export of uranium. It is also likely to begin enriching uranium, a move that runs still more counter to President George W. Bush's anti-proliferation policy: to limit uranium enrichment to the handful of countries that already have the capability.

This time, however, the challenger of American policy is not the leader of a so-called rogue state but the Australian prime minister, John Howard, who probably ranks second only to Tony Blair in his closeness to Bush. Howard, leader of the center-right Liberal Party, doesn't see himself as confronting Washington but as doing what is in his country's best interests. (Sound like a familiar argument? But nobody is about to suggest that Australia is an Iran or North Korea.)

"We're a totally reliable and trustworthy country," Howard said, explaining why he didn't expect any protests from Washington. The Bush administration has remained silent about Howard's proposals. "We've made no official statement on the issue," a representative of the U.S. Embassy in Canberra said Tuesday in response to a request for a comment.

In Australia, Howard's program for the country's energy future, which was outlined in a recent speech, has set off an intense and spirited debate. At times, the positions have been predictable. The Greens, for example, are opposed. But Howard's stand has also provoked what is being described here as "a dramatic U-turn" on uranium mining by the leader of the country's opposition Labor Party.

[headsonpikes]

This is an important story. Thanks for posting.

There's a lot of money riding on a change in the 'Three Mines' policy. Judging by the price of uranium junior miners he market seems to believe that wide-open development lies dead ahead.

As to enrichment, it's hard to see Australia giving up the value-added cream.

[Paul Ross]

I neither mind their production or export of uranium. I just don't like who their primary customer is...Red China...and what they really intend to do with it.