Canada is close to deciding if it will join a U.S.-led nuclear partnership that could see the country being asked to dispose of spent nuclear waste, Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier said Thursday from Australia.
Bernier spoke to reporters following the conclusion of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Ministerial Meeting in Sydney. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived Thursday for this weekend's APEC Leaders Meeting.
The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) would require all nuclear fuel to be repatriated for disposal to the country that exported it.
As one of the world's largest uranium producers, Canada could face serious issues dealing with the waste produced by nuclear energy. Australia is the world's other leading uranium-exporting country.
"Australia and Canada, we are two major producers in the world and we have considerable interests in whatever the United States and the international community have in mind in terms of future uranium development and production and marketing," said Bernier. "So we will have a decision in the near future about our participation."
With climate change and energy policy key items on the weekend agenda -- and most of the GNEP's supporters in attendance, including the U.S., China, Japan and Russia -- Harper is likely to see the issue raised again.
Canada has also been asked to attend a GNEP conference in Vienna on Sept. 16. Adding to the pressure, Australia confirmed Thursday that it will attend the conference.
Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act by The Canadian Press show that Ottawa has been actively considering the initiative in private since at least March 2006.
Other developments
Minister of International Trade David Emerson accompanied Bernier to the meetings where the pair discussed a wide range of issues with their counterparts.
Issues discussed including Canada's commitment to Afghanistan, the status of the WTO Doha Round and a number of trade and investment issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
On Friday, Harper will give a speech on climate change and energy policy to a gathering of business leaders. U.S. President George Bush is also scheduled to speak at the APEC Business Summit.
CTV's Roger Smith, travelling with the prime minister, said climate change is expected to be a key theme when the leaders of the 21-member APEC organization meet on the weekend.
China, the United States and Russia are recognized as the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters.
Harper has previously stated that Canada is ready to join the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate, also known as AP-6. The climate change group is seen by some as a rival to Kyoto.
That partnership is mainly focused on pressuring big business to reduce their emissions while developing cleaner technologies.
However, critics say the initiative does not set proper limits or targets for countries and business.
Smith said officials expect a lot of discussions on climate change but no real developments to come out of the summit.
Following the weekend summit, Harper will travel to Canberra and address the Australian parliament. The speech will be given on the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S.
With files from The Canadian Press
