Senate debates

Tuesday, 18 September 2007

Nuclear Safeguards Agreement with Russia

3:45 pm

Photo of Lyn AllisonLyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes the recommendations of Dr Donald R Rothwell, Professor of International Law at the Australian National University, on the minimum requirements the Government should pursue in its negotiations with the Russian Federation (Russia) on a nuclear safeguards agreement, which include:
(i)
Australia requesting Russia to ratify the International Atomic Energy Agency Additional Protocol which it signed in March 2000,
(ii)
if Russia fails to ratify the Additional Protocol, Australia seeking to incorporate the essential terms and conditions of the Additional Protocol into the bilateral agreement, and
(iii)
Australia seeking to incorporate binding human rights and democracy clauses into any such agreement; and
(b)
urges the Government to:
(i)
consider also including a clause stipulating a time frame for disarmament in any bilateral agreement, and
(ii)
reconcile its wider responsibilities to non-proliferation, disarmament and human rights before any benefits to the Australian economy when negotiating the nuclear safeguards agreement with Russia.

Question put.