Germany asks India to sign CTBT

BONN, Sept 9 (PTI) — Germany today asked India to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and hoped New Delhi would link its security concerns with the international norms on nuclear non-proliferation.

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, who had a meeting with President K.R. Narayanan, conveyed his government’s views to him, German sources said. Mr Kinkel expressed serious concern over the growing tension in South Asia after India and Pakistan’s nuclear tests which he said had virtually led to a nuclear arms race in the region. He told the President it was important in particular that India now signed the CTBT and initiated confidence-building measures, the sources said. Mr Kinkel further said India had the potential to emerge as a leading economic power in the world, and emphasised that his country would like to see New Delhi as part of a universal non-proliferation regime.

Bonn, Germany: President K. R. Narayanan signing the golden book at the City Hall of Bonn while Lord Mayoress of Bonn is standing next to him at a function on Tuesday. — PTI

The sources said the talks were held in a "friendly and open atmosphere" and emphasised the need for stronger political, economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

Mr Narayanan, the sources said, explained in detail the situation in which India had to go for nuclear tests and pointed out that India had already declared a unilateral moratorium on further explosions and expressed the intention to sign a no-first-use agreement.

Reuter adds: In an interview with the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit" to be published on Thursday, Mr Narayanan defended Indian nuclear tests saying, "All we have done is to get ourselves a few nuclear weapons, as a minimal deterrent in an environment that has become dangerous."

"There have long been other nuclear weapons in the region, in the North as well as the West. And the seas around us are swarming with nuclear submarines," he told the publication.