[Greens-Media] Clarification of Greens position on uranium sales to Russia

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Clarification of Greens position on uranium sales to Russia

Hobart, Wednesday, 5 September 2007  Australian Greens Climate Change Spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, today reiterated the Greens' opposition to sales of uranium under all circumstances.

Senator Milne said "Some coverage in today's press of my statements yesterday to the Summit on Russia could be misconstrued as giving conditional support to sales of uranium to Russia.

"This is absolutely not the case.

"My statements to the conference yesterday were clear. Having stated the Greens' emphatic opposition to sales of uranium, I went on to say that the Howard Government and Rudd Opposition are apparently willing to sell uranium to Russia without even attempting to press President Putin on issues of human rights abuses and the suppression of dissent. They cite as an excuse for the sale the hope that the trade in this extremely dangerous substance will actually help draw the country into international mores. This is a vain and naïve hope.

"The fact that they have not even attempted to write into the deal any guarantees of progress on human rights and the rule of law indicates that this vital issue is not even on the radars of our Government or Opposition.

"The Putin administration has overseen a disturbing return to authoritarianism in Russia. In recent years, there has been an alarming increase in suppression of dissent, muzzling of the media and NGOs, gaoling and torturing of dissenters.

"The sale of uranium to a country whose government demonstrably has such little respect for human rights or the rule of law should be unthinkable. But that is exactly what our government and potential government are planning to do.

"Real, responsible Australian leadership would make the world a safer place by refusing to dig up and sell our uranium, developing and exporting high-value renewable energy technologies instead. That is what the Greens would do.

"The expansion of nuclear industries in an already unstable world, and one which will be further destabilised by climate change, is dangerous in the extreme."

Contact: Tim Hollo on 0437 587 562

Tim Hollo
Media and Communications Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone: + 61 (0) 2 6277 3063
Mobile: + 61 (0) 437 587 562
Email: tim.hollo at aph.gov.au
Skype: timhollo
www.christinemilne.org.au
www.youtube.com/senatormilne