M A I N   N E W S

N-deals with Delhi on course: France
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

His statement assumes significance since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had just two days back told senior editors at a meeting that he expected Paris to transfer enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technology as part of the bilateral agreement signed on September 30, 2008.

Russian Embassy sources, meanwhile, said Moscow would implement all its commitments made in the civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India. It was also committed to supporting India’s membership of the NSG. “There is still not much clarity on the new guidelines of the NSG…In any case, Russia strictly follows all its international obligations over the issue of non-proliferation,” they added.

India was given a clean waiver by the NSG in September 2008, ending its more than three-decade-long nuclear isolation. However, the 46-member nuclear cartel, at its meeting in the Netherlands last week, decided to implement stricter norms for access to ENR technology.

The French envoy sought to dispel the impression that the decision taken by the NSG was a measure targeting any particular state. “The (NSG) decision is the fruit of prolonged discussions initiated in 2004. Coming after the decision from the full-scope safeguards clause adopted in favour of India in September 2008, it does not undermine the principles of this exemption,” he added.