Australian defence minister snubs Pakistan on uranium deal

Melbourne: Australian defence minister Stephen Smith Tuesday rejected a uranium export exemption for Pakistan and said he looked forward to his visit to India that will focus on expanding maritime security between the two countries. A few days back Pakistan raised some loud queries asking why Australia shouldn't offer it uranium as with India.

"India brought itself under the governance of the international nuclear regulators, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group,'' Smith said, hours before leaving for New Delhi.

"That has not occurred with Pakistan. There has never been a suggestion of (nuclear) proliferation from India," he said.

"Regrettably, over preceding years, there have been serious concerns about proliferation from Pakistan,'' he said.

Pakistan argued that Australia should export uranium to Islamabad as New Delhi too has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Smith makes his visit just after the Labour government reversing its ban on uranium exports to India. He will obviously hope to make full use of the goodwill generated by this move.