M A I N   N E W S

Germany to ask NSG constructive questions
Indo-US nuclear deal
Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

Berlin, April 25
The sense in Indian official circles here is that Germany has not only given up its reservations on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, but has also promised to ask constructive questions on the accord whenever it comes up for discussion at the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The Indian establishment is also happy and satisfied that the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel achieved success beyond expectations of Indian officials.

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, who briefed mediapersons accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night, said: “The Prime Minister told the German Chancellor that if India was not assisted in the civilian nuclear field, it would be denied energy, which was vital for the country’s economic development, while other countries would continue to get it. This would create an imbalance which the world community should not allow.”

German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Stein Meier, in his meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday, sought to dispel the impression that he had opposed the Indo-US deal.

He said there had been some confused reporting on the remarks he had with regard to the deal in Washington.

Germany had expressed reservations over the deal, saying it would not help the cause of non-proliferation at a time when the international community was pressurising Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.

At his meeting with the German Chancellor in Hannover on Sunday, the Prime Minister explained to her why India went in for the deal on civilian nuclear energy cooperation.

The Prime Minister also drew the Chancellor’s attention towards India’s impeccable non-proliferation record.

He also spoke about India’s adherence to the no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

An interesting fact was that the Prime Minister was pleasantly surprised when the Chancellor told him that she had no hesitation in communicating with him in English.

“The two leaders met for nearly 45 minutes and they communicated in English all through. This helped sort out issues between both countries”, senior Indian officials said. This was the first time a German Chancellor communicated with an Indian Prime Minister in English.

In the past, German Chancellors, even if they knew English, used to communicate in German.

In another development, India dismissed suggestions that the initiative of G-4 countries, comprising India, Germany, Japan and Brazil, to earn permanent seats for themselves in an expanded United Nations Security Council had run out of steam.

“We are on the right track. It is wrong to say that the initiative is going nowhere. Quite clearly, each one of us is busy taking stock”, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan told mediapersons here last night.

He said the G-4 was waiting for the African Union to take a clear-cut position on the expansion of the Security Council and the countries it wanted to be included in the council from the African continent.

Mr Narayanan said the issue of Security Council expansion figured prominently during talks between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor in Hannover on Sunday.

Mr Narayanan said there were apprehensions that Japan would withdraw from the grouping as it had openly been receiving the support of the US for inclusion in the Security Council.

“But signals we are now getting clearly indicate that Japan feels that it must remain within the G-4 to make out a strong case for its inclusion in the Security Council”, he added.

The Prime Minister, while speaking at a reception hosted in his honour by the Indian Ambassador to Germany, Ms Meera Shanker, said India and Germany were strategic partners, pointing out that Germany was the sixth largest investor in India and the third largest trading partner in the European Union.

He said India was on the move and the Indian economy had recorded high rates of growth on a sustainable basis since the process of economic reforms began.

India was among the most attractive destinations globally for doing business and several Indian companies had expressed their global presence in various sectors across the world, including Germany, he added.

Dr Manmohan Singh also said the government would seriously consider setting up an institute on the lines of the British Council in Germany to assist scholars and indologists in their activities.

While talking to a group of leading indologists from India and Germany, when they called on him here yesterday, the Prime Minister told them that India would take more interest in their research and funding.

According to Indian officials, the indologists wanted more Indian scholarships from the Government of India for them to enable them to carry out research activities.

They were also of the view that there should be scholarships for people above the age of 50 years as there were not many youngsters in this area of activity.

Meanwhile, Mr Sibal announced that India and Germany had decided to set up a science research and technology centre to give an impetus to bilateral collaboration in the field of science and technology. He told mediapersons that the centre would promote public-private partnership in science and technology.

The governments of India and Germany would have 20 per cent equity each in the proposed centre.

Entrepreneurs of the two countries would have 30 per cent equity each.

He said the German Education Minister would visit India in October-November, when the accord on the proposed centre was expected to be signed.

The centre would have representatives of both governments on board, but would be run by private entrepreneurs.

Berlin Diary
Oversight or deliberate?
Satish Misra

Indian Ambassador to Berlin Meera Shankar invited around 200 prominent Indians at a reception held on Monday night in the honour of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Hotel Adlon here.

Obviously the list was very carefully prepared but old residents point out that one of the two old associations that have been in existence for over 30 years was conspicuously absent.

While Bharat Majlis’s office-bearers were present, the Indian Cultural Centre, which has hosted the likes of Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and organised functions for other Indian artistes, was ignored.

The Indian Cultural Centre has been organising Asia-Pacific Film Festivals but its office-bearers were not present at the reception. Oversight or deliberate is the question?

The reception was held at the historic hotel, which was renovated from ruins after the unification of Germany. Situated close to the historic Brandenburg Gate, Adlon stood in ruins as the East German authorities did not want a structure close to the Berlin Wall or a building close to Hitler’s bunker.

Down the road, called Unter den Linden, there used to be a multistory structure that housed the Foreign Ministry of German Democratic Republic.

The structure, which was out of step or rather out of tune with the surrounding gothic buildings, has been erased to the ground restoring harmony to the historic place, which has many museums, Humboldt University and other historical structures.

Another structure that stood like an eyesore was the Palace of Republic. The Palace of Republic was used to hold Parliament sittings and for receptions of foreign guests.

A state banquet was held here in the honour of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by the then GDR President Erich Honecker.

The Palace of Republic was projected as a big achievement by the East German authorities. It is also being erased to the ground.

PM arrives in Uzbekistan
Satish Misra
Tribune News Service

Tashkent, April 25
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here today on a two-day state visit, during which seven agreements were expected to be signed.

He was received at the airport by Uzbek Prime Minister Savakat Mirziayev and Foreign Minister Aripov Abdulla Nigmatovich, who was also the Minister-in- Waiting.

While no formal engagements await the Prime Minister today, he has a full programme tomorrow, when he will pay floral tributes at the National Monument of Independence and Humanism.

After paying tributes at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial, the Prime Minister will have hour-long one-to-one discussions with Uzbek President Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov, which will cover bilateral, regional and international issues.

The talks will also focus on the menace of terrorism, which has been threatening peace and development in Asia.

The talks will be followed by delegation-level talks.

After the talks, seven agreements and MoUs will be signed in the presence of the two leaders.

The Prime Minister will also launch the Nehru-Uzbek Centre of International Technology tomorrow afternoon, which will give a boost to Uzbekistan’s quest for information technology.

The Prime Minister will meet the Indian community and then attend a reception hosted by the Uzbek President in his honour.

A visit by the Indian Prime Minister after 13 years has aroused a lot of interest as it is bound to consolidate and deepen ties.

He will leave for India tomorrow evening.