Sydney: Australian Prime Minister John Howard confirmed on Tuesday that a nuclear deal with China could be signed during Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's visit to Canberra next week but turned down any possibility of an "immediate change" in his Government's policy towards India. Addressing a press conference at Canberra, Mr. Howard said the deal could be signed during Mr. Wen's visit from April 1 to 4, but asserted that it would not put any pressure on Australia to negotiate a similar agreement with India.

Mr. Howard said he supported the recent deal between India and the United States, under which India agreed to open its civilian nuclear plants to inspections in exchange for nuclear fuel and technology from the U.S.

He commended India's "impeccable" non-proliferation record since the first atomic test in 1974, and said, "People have to bear [the fact] in mind. But, "you should not think that there is going to be an immediate change of Government policy."

To send officials

However, Australia has said that it would be sending officials to India next month to know more about its deal with the U.S.

China is expected to build 40 to 50 nuclear power plants over the next 20 years. India is also looking to boost its nuclear power industry, which currently accounts for only three per cent of energy production.

To import Australian uranium, a country has to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a separate nuclear safeguards deal with Canberra. China has signed the NPT, but India, which conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and again in 1998, is not a signatory to the treaty. — UNI

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