Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Friday said the Australian government hopes to sign an agreement on selling uranium to Russia during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Australia 's largest city of Sydney in September.
Downer's statements came just one day after Australia confirmed an in-principle agreement on selling uranium to India, which is not a signatory to the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Downer said Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Russian President Vladimir Putin could finalize a deal in Sydney next month.
"We would hope to sign the agreement when President Putin is here," Downer told reporters here.
The federal government started working with Russia in April on the agreement which would see Australia supply uranium for Russia's civil nuclear power industry, it was reported.
"We should support civil nuclear power programs in responsible countries with responsible and appropriate protections," Downer said.
Downer said if the deal was made, Australian uranium would " probably not by the end of the year but into next year" start being used in some of Russia's 30 civil nuclear power stations.
Australia's opposition parties have criticized the government's decision to sell uranium to India.
But the Australian Labor Party, the country's main opposition party, has said it would be prepared to look at Australian uranium sales to Russia, because Russia has signed the NPT.
Source: Xinhua
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