AUKUS nuke proliferation warning

Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines may ‘set a precedent’ for other countries that want similar technology, the UN nuclear watchdog has said.

UN International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi. Picture: AFP

Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines may “set a precedent” for other countries that want similar technology, the UN nuclear watchdog has said.

It also said the government of the day would need to engage with the UN as the submarines were designed and built, to allow the agency to “verify the peaceful use” of the nuclear materials.

The UN International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke with all three major parties in Australia this week to ensure the AUKUS deal did not breach Australia’s non-proliferation commitments.

Australia last year tore up an agreement with the French for conventionally powered sub­marines, signing the AUKUS agreement with the UK and US that would provide the nuclear-powered boats instead.

The deal marks the first time a nation without nuclear weapons will acquire nuclear-powered submarines. But some allies, including Malaysia and Indonesia, have raised concerns the deal may spark a nuclear “arms race”.

Mr Grossi said the IAEA had to be “able to provide assurances” Australia’s purchasing of nuclear submarines remained within the nation’s safeguard obligations.

“In other words, that nuclear material used in the context of AUKUS will not be used for purposes other than naval propulsion,” he said in a draft of a speech made at the Australian National University on Tuesday night.

“The interactions I have had so far with the three parties (UK, US and Australia) and the non-proliferation commitments they have made give me confidence this can be achieved.

“That the parties have already engaged with the IAEA at this stage, where the extent of their partnership is not yet fully established, is an indication to me that they view their non-proliferation commitments as an integral part of this partnership.”

But Mr Grossi said Australia’s nuclear submarine capability may set a precedent for the acquiring of nuclear technologies across the world, with other countries such as Brazil flagging interest already.

“As the project enters its more technical phase, it will require even more interactions and commitments from the three parties, so that the agency is able to fulfil its responsibilities and understand all the issues and challenges intrinsic to the task of verifying the peaceful use of the relevant nuclear material,” Mr Grossi said.

“I am also mindful that this specific verification work may set a precedent for other states that have already expressed a similar interest – Brazil for example has opened a formal dialogue with the IAEA on the matter of naval ­nuclear propulsion.”