The world’s fragile nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime
has been dealt a blow by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s support for the
US-India nuclear deal which is being rushed through the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) in the dying days of the Bush Presidency.

“Kevin Rudd is now on a collision course with his own Commission on
Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, announced in Kyoto in June
2008,” Senator Scott Ludlam said.

“He has tasked his commission to propose ways to rid the world of
nuclear weapons. At the same time he is endorsing the Howard-Bush line
of providing nuclear technology to India, which has not signed the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), continues to produce weapons
grade material, and stands outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime.

“This sends a terrible signal to other countries who may be
considering the development of nuclear weapons. We are rewarding India
for developing weapons of mass destruction.”

“At a bare minimum, Australia must insist on strict conditions
before we sign off on this deal: India must sign the CTBT and come to
the disarmament table by joining the NPT.

“If we ever needed more evidence of the potential for so-called
‘peaceful nuclear energy’ to undermine efforts for a nuclear-weapons
free world, here it is,” Senator Ludlam concluded.