Asia-Pacific ministers meet for nuclear terror talks

1.00pm

CANBERRA - The threat of terrorists using nuclear weapons will be on the agenda at a meeting of Asia-Pacific government ministers today.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer will open the Sydney conference, which will hear from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Dr Mohammed ElBaradei.

The two-day meeting comes as fears grow over Iran's nuclear programme.

Mr Downer said while the risk of terrorists and rogue states using nuclear weapons was less than an attack using conventional means, the threat of such an attack needed to be taken seriously.

He said although there was no evidence as yet, it was clear terror groups such as Jemaah Islamiah would stop at nothing to secure nuclear materials or other weapons of mass destruction.

"I think in the interests of the region and the interest of humanity we need to make a very big effort to stop the proliferation of these systems," he said.

Mr Downer said he would discuss Iran's nuclear programme with Dr ElBaradei and delegates.

Iran has been given until November 25 to give up its uranium enrichment activities or face referral to the UN and possible sanctions.

It suspended uranium enrichment last year but has refused to stop other activities such as building centrifuges, insisting its programme is for power generation and not weapons.

Meanwhile, the Australian federal government plans to re-list four groups that were listed as terrorist organisations two years ago.

The Abu Sayyaf Group, Armed Islamic Group, Salafist Group for Call and Combat, and Jamiat ul-Ansar (formerly known as Harakat ul-Mujahideen) were all listed as terror organisations in November 2002.

Under federal law, the listings would automatically cease after two years if not re-listed.

- AAP