CANBERRA—The federal government's deal to sell uranium to Russia could be one of biggest mistakes in Australian history, the Australian Greens say.
Prime Minister John Howard today signed an agreement with President Vladimir Putin to sell nuclear fuel to Russia for domestic use.
The Greens are demanding federal parliament examine the deal via a Senate inquiry.
"Selling Australian uranium to Russia could be one of the most profound strategic mistakes in Australian history," Senator Christine Milne said in a statement.
"And yet, just as with sending troops into Iraq, it seems that the government has no intention to allow parliament to scrutinise the decision."
Senator Milne said the agreement was even more worrying because of reports Russia had struck a deal to sell nuclear fuel to Iran.
"The deal with Iran, alongside Mr Putin's ambitions to corner 25 per cent of the world's nuclear fuel market, should put the Australia-Russia deal into perspective," she said.
When parliament resumes on Monday the Greens will seek the Senate inquiry.
"We must allow time for Australia's top strategic minds, as well as the Australian people at large, to give their considered opinion on such a profound decision," Senator Milne said.
"We have no confidence in Mr Howard's obscene rush to facilitate mining company profits at the expense of global security and the environment."
The Australian Conservation Foundation said Russia actively breached the the United Nations' nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which it is a signatory.
"Safeguards cannot guarantee that Australian uranium will not end up fuelling a nuclear accident or a nuclear weapon," nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney said in a statement.
"The safeguards mean Australians have to trust the current Russian regime, as well as every future Russian regime, to do the right thing."
Mr Sweeney said the country's nuclear facilities were old and under-performing.
"Russia recently changed its domestic laws so new nuclear reactors can be built without facing environmental impact assessments.
"Civil society watchdogs that monitor the nuclear industry in the West, like the media, environment groups and unions, are under-resourced and under pressure in Russia.
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