MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR PREVENTION OF WAR (AUSTRALIA)
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 19 March 2010
Doctors condemn proposed uranium sales to Russia
The Medical Association for Prevention of War today condemned the government
proposal to sell uranium to Russia, in contravention of recommendations from its own
parliamentary inquiry.
The government, responding to the 2008 Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
inquiry report, claims that its agreement with Russia would ensure that any uranium
supplied could only be used for peaceful purposes.
MAPW President DR Bill Williams responded:
“As MAPW told the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, the current safeguards
cannot guarantee that Australian uranium would not end up in Russian nuclear
weapons. The parliamentary inquiry recommended that Australia does not proceed
with uranium sales to Russia until far more stringent measures are in place to separate
Russia’s civilian and military facilities. “
“The decision fails to take seriously both the inadequacy of current safeguards as they
relate to Russia, and Australia’s responsibilities as a uranium exporter.”
“It is important to remember that the five nuclear weapons states which are party to
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), including Russia, are under much less
scrutiny than states that do not yet have nuclear weapons. For example, the
International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has confirmed that Russia’s military
sites are off limits for inspection” said Dr Williams.
“MAPW believes that Australia should not sell uranium to any nuclear weapons
states, including Russia. All of the 5 nuclear weapons states that are party to the NPT
are in breach of the treaty by their refusal to get rid of their nuclear weapons. By
selling uranium to Russia, Australia would effectively be undermining the NPT,
which has a crucial 5-yearly review conference in May” Dr Williams concluded.
For comment and further information contact:
Dr Bill Williams
President, Medical Association for Prevention of War
Ph 0428 616 245
(MAPW office: Nancy Atkin, EO, 03 8344 1637 or 0431 475 465)
See: www.mapw.org.au for the report “Illusion of Protection” on nuclear safeguards;
and our submission to the Inquiry at
NEWS 
