Nuclear deal expected soon

A nuclear treaty allowing China access to Australia's uranium reserves could be signed as early as next week, Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said. This would coincide with Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the country from April 1-4 as part of a trip that also includes New Zealand, Fiji and Canada. Australia exports all of the uranium it produces but demands that buyers commit to using the material for power generation only. Non-signatories of the nuclear-nonproliferation treaty are banned from purchasing uranium. China needs uranium to meet its goal of increasing nuclear capacity fivefold by 2020. Nuclear power currently contributes just 3% of the country's total energy output.