India, Oz to hold talks on N-ties

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New Delhi: Setting aside past indifference, India and Australia on Wednesday announced their decision to enter into civil nuclear cooperation by negotiating a safeguards agreement which will facilitate export of uranium to India.
After official talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Australian PM Julia Gillard said this decision meant a lot to her personally as only last year, her Labour Party had overturned the ban on selling uranium to India.
“We have agreed to begin negotiations for an agreement on civil nuclear energy cooperation which will precede actual cooperation,” Singh said. He expressed appreciation for Australia’s decision to change its policy on uranium sales to India, describing the development as a recognition of India’s energy needs as well as “our record and credentials”.
The actual supply of uranium, however, may take a couple of years as negotiations for the safeguards deal are expected to be complex. It is essential for Australia to sign such an agreement before it can start shipping uranium to any country.
The two countries signed four agreements – including one for student mobility and welfare – and agreed to hold annual meetings at the summit level, either bilaterally or during multilateral events.