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Rediff.com  » News » India expects smooth passage in IAEA

India expects smooth passage in IAEA

Source: PTI
July 10, 2008 14:03 IST
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India does not expect any problem in the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group over getting approvals and exemptions necessary to take forward its nuclear deal with  the US and has the powerful G-8 "on board" over the issue.

"All the countries we have spoken to are positive in their attitude (over India's civil nuclear cooperation with the US," National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told journalists accompanying  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his way back from the G-8 summit in Japan.

On discussions Singh had with US President George W Bush and other G-8 leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, the officials said they do not anticipate any problem from other  countries that India has spoken to.

The officials gave the reply when specifically asked whether Japan was on board on the Indo-US deal.

Menon said in discussions the Prime Minister had with leaders of the G-8, with the exception of one, the prime minister brought up the nuclear deal.

"No country gave a negative response," Narayanan said.

On Japan's stand, Menon said its Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who was Chairman of the Summit, has in his summary reflected the positive outlook.

"You have to ask him. He read out the text as Chairman of the G-8.  He said they are ready to cooperate in nuclear energy."

"I can only speak about the leaders we have spoken to. They have expressed themselves in the statement. All the G-8 members are on board.  All the other countries we have spoken to are positive," the two officials said.

 Menon quoted the G-8 Chairman's summary which had a separate chapter on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India.

"We look forward to working with India in the IAEA and  the NSG and other members, to advance India's non-proliferation commitment and the progress so as to  facilitate a more robust approach to the civil nuclear > cooperation to help it meet its growing energy needs in a manner that enhances and reinforces the global cooperation in non-proliferation programme," it said.

On the civil nuclear cooperation, Singh informed Bush that the government was going ahead with the initiative.

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