AUSTRALIA KEEPING ITS COUNSEL ON INDIA-IAEA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000713 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/RA T.KOCA, SCA/RA J.MCCLELLAN, AND EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2018 TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL ETTC IN AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA KEEPING ITS COUNSEL ON INDIA-IAEA SAFEGUARDS AGREEMENT; NO DECISION YET ON GNEP REF: STATE 74896 Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole. Reasons: 1.4(b),(d) ¶1. (C) Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Ian Biggs told us July 15 that Foreign Minister Smith and Prime Minister Rudd are currently reviewing a recommendation from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Australian position on the Indian nuclear safeguards agreement recently circulated by the IAEA. He declined to provide details of the recommendation or to speculate on Australia's stance, noting it was a difficult decision for the government, but stressed that it would be in Australia's strategic interest to have India's nuclear program brought at least partially under IAEA supervision. Biggs said the Australian Mission in Vienna was also consulting with the IAEA to make sure the GOA had a complete understanding of the agreement and its implications for members. Regardless of Australia's ultimate position on the safeguards agreement, he added, it would not affect the Rudd government's standing policy not to export uranium to India as a non-signatory of the NPT. ¶2. (C) Biggs raised the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP),denying press stories in The Australian and on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on July 15 suggesting the Australian government had decided to rejoin GNEP. The Australian government has not made a decision on whether to continue participation, he asserted. CLUNE