How can we be sure that Russia will not divert Australian uranium to weapons?
Russia announced in 1994 that it had ceased production of fissile material for weapons. It has made substantial cuts in its nuclear weapons arsenal since the Cold War, with further reductions agreed with the United States in the 2002 Moscow Treaty, and the 2010 New START Treaty (not yet in force). Further, Russia has pursued an extensive program of down-blending weapons-grade uranium (equivalent to thousands of warheads) for use in civil nuclear power plants – for several years Russia has been a major supplier to the international uranium market through this down-blending program. In concluding this Agreement, Russia has undertaken a treaty-level commitment to use AONM solely for peaceful purposes and in facilities covered by its safeguards agreement with the IAEA. Russia will also provide detailed nuclear accounting information to ASNO.
