China may not oppose waiver to India at N.S.G. meet

Beijing, Sept 2 (PTI) Signalling that it may not be an obstacle to a waiver to India to be considered by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.), China on Monday said it has always played a "positive" role at the meetings of the 45-nation grouping.

China has always played a "positive role" at the meetings of the N.S.G. and believes all countries have the right to develop nuclear energy while observing the obligations of the non-proliferation regime, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu told reporters here.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group is due to meet on September 4-5 in Vienna to discuss a waiver to India to allow it to resume nuclear commerce with the international community after a gap of 34 years.

She expressed the hope that the N.S.G. would be able to "strike a balance between nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use" of atomic energy.

China expects the "relevant countries" would be able to "safeguard the effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime," Jiang said without specifically naming India and the United States (U.S.) in this context.

Her remarks come a day after the People's Daily, the
mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party of China, published
an opinion piece describing the India-U.S. nuclear deal "a
major blow to the international non-proliferation regime."

Jiang did not comment on the article, saying she had not
read it. PTI