| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia nervous about uranium enrichment talk in Australia |
| 2006-09-03 |
| A former Indonesian Government official says talk of uranium enrichment in Australia is making Jakarta nervous. Doctor Dewi Anwar was an adviser to former Indonesian president Habibi and has spoken to Radio National. Dr Anwar says Australia needs to reassure its neighbours that it has no desire to acquire nuclear weapons. "I think it's very important that Australia does assure the international community that it will not add another security threat to the already very unstable global situation at the moment," she said. "Indonesia and the (Association of South East Asian Nations) ASEAN countries would probably be concerned about Australia doing uranium enrichment until we get more details of it." Dr Anwar also says her country could consider the possibility of uranium enrichment. "Indonesia would also have the right to enrich uranium as long it is for peaceful purposes and within the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards," she said. "Because Indonesia would not want to be totally dependent on a few nuclear suppliers." But the Foreign Affairs Minister has assured Indonesia that Australian uranium will not be used to make nuclear weapons. Mr Downer says there is no cause for concern. "I would have that international security would have been better served by enriched uranium coming from a country as secure, as stable, as democratic and as responsible as Australia," he said. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #11 I've been there for about 2.5 years! Just about that long for me, too, Texas Redneck. The Beslan Atrocity was the last straw. From that point on I was willing to assume the worst instead of hoping for the best. A fleeing crowd of children being gunned down snapped something inside of me. I thought 9-11 had done that, and perhaps it did in a patriotic sense. But Beslan broke something even more fundamental inside me, possibly my sense of humanity. Something I don't ever think will be whole again, not even when Islam is only a bad memory. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-03 22:18 |
| #10 "I'm in a "kill them all" mood this morning..." I've been there for about 2.5 years! |
| Posted by: Texas Redneck 2006-09-03 21:59 |
| #9 It also gives them reserves of fissile material* *Some assembly required |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-03 20:37 |
| #8 The plain fact is that both Canada and Australia will be supplier countries under the GNEP initiative and will want to enrich fuel. It is a step up the value chain. |
| Posted by: john 2006-09-03 16:52 |
| #7 Talk about being legends in their own minds. Hey, Indonesia - here's a free clue. Australia doesn't need nuclear weapons to kick your sorry butts if they decide they want to. They're quite capable of doing it with conventional weapons. So quit your whining and don't make Australia come back there. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-09-03 15:26 |
| #6 What's sauce for Iran is sauce for Australia. I hope they whip up a tidy nuclear arsenal and offer free tastings to Indonesia if they ever again let Bashir see the light of day. Muslims should be nervous, veeeeeery nervous. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-03 13:56 |
| #5 "Indonesia and the (Association of South East Asian Nations) ASEAN countries would probably be concerned about Australia doing uranium enrichment until we get more details of it." Sure, like Australia has just been so guilty of blowing up nightclubs full of Muslims and provoking hatred in South East Asia, hasn't it? Twit. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-09-03 13:03 |
| #4 Ethel does make spicy chili. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-09-03 11:30 |
| #3 Darrell - Fred would blame the chili. He always blames the chili, LOL. |
| Posted by: Thraimp Slavising1335 2006-09-03 10:11 |
| #2 I'm in a "kill them all" mood this morning, but maybe that's just me. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-09-03 10:00 |
| #1 Could this be the same Indonesia that gave Ahmedinejad such an encouraging and rousing welcome ? |
| Posted by: Warner 2006-09-03 08:23 |