MEDIA RELEASE  THE SENATE

PR 91/350  August 7, 1991

IRAQI PLUTONIUM PROVES INEFFECTIVENESS OF SAFEGUARDS

"Iraq's extraction of sufficient plutonium for a bomb from spent  fuel at a nuclear plant illustrates very clearly what I have been  claiming for two decades the gross ineffectiveness of

international nuclear safeguards" Senator John Coulter said  today.

Senator Coulter, who is spokesperson for the Australian Democrats  on Science and Environment, said there are and always have been  very close links between the civil and military programs. Once  uranium leaves our shores no paper can effectively control the  use that is made of it.

"The inability of the International Atomic Energy Authority  ( IAEA) to detect diversion of nuclear materials in Iraq from  civil to military use should be a warning to Australia and other  uranium-exporting countries.

"The IAEA is little more than a toothless tiger and its Nuclear  Safeguards Agreement with Iraq is totally unenforceable" said  Senator Coulter. "No nation can guarantee that its uranium will  not be used for military purposes. Even if the IAEA had been able  to detect the diversion it still had no policing powers.

"Moreover, IAEA is built on a fundamental conflict of interest.  Its primary charter is to promote the wide use of nuclear power.  "Iraq is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty  (NPT). Its actions in diverting plutonium for military use makes  a mockery of the whole Treaty. The NPT depends on the goodwill  of nations to confine their nuclear industries to peaceful

purposes, but if that goodwill is lacking, very little can be

done.

"The Australian Democrats call on the Federal Government to  reassess its whole uranium export industry in light of the

revelations from Iraq" concluded Senator Coulter.

Further information: John Coulter 08.3330277

