Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Thursday said Australia will consider selling uranium to India if the South Asian nation agrees to inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Downer's statements came after newspaper reports earlier in the day that Downer will ask Cabinet to approve the export of uranium to India in a submission to be considered by the Australian government within weeks.
Downer said if India agreed to the inspections, under a deal still to be brokered with the United States, Australia would consider starting negotiations to export Uranium to supply the country's power plants.
He said the deal could go ahead despite India not being a signatory to the NPT.
"In these circumstances it is a possibility that we would begin negotiations with India over supplying uranium to power stations which were subject to United Nations inspections and to the regime of the International Atomic Agency," he was quoted by Australian Associated Press as saying in Adelaide, capital of the state of South Australia.
However, he said Australia has not made any final decision about the issue.
"It is still something that we are considering and we certainly will have to wait and see what the conclusion is of negotiations between India and America," he said.
Downer said India had no record of exporting nuclear weapons technology to other countries and the export of uranium could help the country grow its burgeoning economy.
Newspaper reports said that Downer's submission has been finalized but has been awaiting the outcome of long-running negotiations on a nuclear co-operation deal between the US and India, which were concluded Wednesday.
Under the U.S.-India deal, India's nuclear power stations, which are designated as part of the peaceful energy program, will come under the supervision of the IAEA.
