Scott Ludlam   Rudd Govt too relaxed on Burma nuclear threat:  Greens  Media Release | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam

Thursday 10th September 2009, 5:00pm

in Burma Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear Issues Nuclear Weapons Uranium Mining

The Australian Greens have warned against the Rudd Government against complacency over alarming evidence of

Burma’s nuclear weapons program.

Responding to questions asked by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam in the Senate today, Defence Minister John

Faulkner,  representing Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, initially could not identify a single action taken by the

Government to investigate evidence, widely publicised more than a month ago, of  Burma’s apparent nuclear

weapons ambitions.

However, the Minister later revealed  that the Government had received a departmental briefing the evidence and

had also raised the issue with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“This is not enough,” Senator Ludlam said.

“The Prime Minister needs to immediately clarify whether he is still seriously considering Australian uranium sales

to Russia.

"Burmese defectors have described Russian and North Korean collaboration with the Burmese military in an illicit

reactor for producing plutonium, according to research released by Professor Des Ball from the Australian National

University.

"This is just one more indication why the Rudd Government should immediately confirm that Australia will not sell

uranium to Russia.

“The Australian public quite rightly should be asking if the  evidence of Burma nuclear weapons plans is being

taken seriously by the Government, or whether Australia plans to stand back while a vicious military dictatorship

presses ahead with a clandestine nuclear programme that could be producing weapons grade plutonium in three

to four years’ time,” Senator Ludlam concluded.

For more information or media enquiries please call Eloise Dortch on 0415 507 763



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