JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON TREATIES

Report 81 - Nuclear transfer and safeguard agreements with China  Chair: Dr Andrew Southcott MP  Deputy Chair: Mr Kim Wilkie MP

Treaties Committee clears way for Australian  uranium to be sold to China

MEDIA ALERT

Owing to clashes with media conferences by the Prime Minister and  Senator Amanda Vanstone, the Treaties Committee media conference  will now be at midday in 2R1 with chair Dr Andrew Southcott and  deputy chair Kim Wilkie

The Treaties Committee has cleared the way for Australian uranium to be sold to China. China  is planning to quadruple its nuclear energy output by 2020 and requires imported uranium to  achieve this.

Report 87 tabled in Federal Parliament today recommends Australia ratify two agreements  between Australia and the People’s Republic of China to allow for the transfer and safeguard of  nuclear material and technology.

The nuclear material transfer agreement would allow for the supply of Australian uranium to  China’s nuclear power program. The nuclear cooperation agreement provides for cooperation in  various nuclear areas; including the transfer of nuclear-related material, equipment and  technology.

Report 81 makes seven recommendations. These recommendations include: the ratification of  the treaties; increasing Australia’s monetary contribution to the International Atomic Energy  Agency (IAEA) and the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office to improve the  safeguards system; lobbying the IAEA for mandatory safeguarding of conversion facilities

located in the five declared nuclear weapons states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of  Nuclear Weapons; and continuing dialogue with the Chinese Government about governance  and transparency issues.

Report 81 is available on the Committee’s website at:  http://www.aph.qov.au/house/committee/isct/report. htm or by contacting the Committee  Secretariat on (02) 6277 4002. Copies of the report will also be available at the press  conference, which will be webcast live on http://webcast.aph.gov.au/livebroadcasting/.

Press Conference for Report 81

Date: Wednesday, 6 December 2006

Time: 12.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

MEDIA CONTACTS

Wayne Arbon

Michael Watts (Mr Wilkie’s Office)

Background:  James Rees (Committee Secretary) (02) 6277 4642

(Dr Southcott’s Office) (02) 6277 4283 or 0439 883 385

(02) 6277 2255 or 041 9 993 677

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Telephone: 02 6277 4002  Facsimile: 02 6277 221 9  E-mail: jsct Qaph.gov.au  Website: www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct

PARLIAMENT HOUSE  CANBERRA ACT 2600

