ID :
17941
Wed, 09/03/2008 - 21:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/17941
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NSG meets again amid continued scepticism over India-waiver
Vienna, Sept 3 (PTI) Amid continued reservations of some member countries over granting waiver to India, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) will hold a crucial two-day meeting here from Thursday to consider the initiative.
The N.S.G. will consider a draft which is being presented before the 45-nation grouping after amendments following demands by at least 15 countries during the August 21-22 meeting.
Countries like New Zealand and Austria, which are still not satisfied with the revised draft, are expected to voice their concerns over non-proliferation issues.
On studying the draft circulated to them by Germany, the current Chair of the N.S.G., these countries feel that the amendments in the text are only cosmetic in nature and conditions are not attached.
China, too, appeared on Monday to be joining the sceptic
countries when its Communist Party's mouthpiece 'People's Daily' described the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal as a "blow" to non-proliferation.
However, the Chinese Government yesterday indicated that it will not block the initiative.
India, on the other hand, has maintained that if conditions are attached to the waiver, it could walk away.
India and the U.S. are hoping that the 45-nation grouping would have a consensus on giving the exemption at this meeting to enable the American Congress some time to have a final vote on the nuclear deal.
Ahead of the meeting, the U.S. has been campaigning hard for the exemption for India, arguing that it would be good for the world.
The N.S.G. works by consensus and even if one country opposes the waiver, the move will be scuttled.
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, who is in the U.S.,
will travel directly to Vienna. He will be joined by R. B.
Grover, Director, Strategic Affairs in the Department of
Atomic Energy, and some other officials of the Ministry of
Eexternal Affairs.
Though India is not a member of the N.S.G., the
delegation led by Menon will be camping in Vienna to meet
envoys of the N.S.G. countries, if necessary, to make further
efforts to persuade them.
Indian officials said that while all efforts will be
made to allay the apprehensions of the sceptic countries,
India will not accept the waiver if it is laden with
conditions.
India says the revised draft should be able to address
the apprehensions that some of the countries have.
New Delhi maintains that if any country has any
non-proliferation issues, those can be sorted out with them
when bilateral agreements are signed.
A day after the editorial in Chinese People's Daily
increased anxiety over the fate of the waiver, Beijing
expressed hope that the N.S.G. would be able to "strike a
balance between nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use" of
atomic energy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said
Beijing has always played a "positive role" at the meetings of
the N.S.G. as it believes all countries have the right to
develop nuclear energy while observing the obligations of the
non-proliferation regime.
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 U.S. in this context.
The N.S.G. will consider a draft which is being presented before the 45-nation grouping after amendments following demands by at least 15 countries during the August 21-22 meeting.
Countries like New Zealand and Austria, which are still not satisfied with the revised draft, are expected to voice their concerns over non-proliferation issues.
On studying the draft circulated to them by Germany, the current Chair of the N.S.G., these countries feel that the amendments in the text are only cosmetic in nature and conditions are not attached.
China, too, appeared on Monday to be joining the sceptic
countries when its Communist Party's mouthpiece 'People's Daily' described the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal as a "blow" to non-proliferation.
However, the Chinese Government yesterday indicated that it will not block the initiative.
India, on the other hand, has maintained that if conditions are attached to the waiver, it could walk away.
India and the U.S. are hoping that the 45-nation grouping would have a consensus on giving the exemption at this meeting to enable the American Congress some time to have a final vote on the nuclear deal.
Ahead of the meeting, the U.S. has been campaigning hard for the exemption for India, arguing that it would be good for the world.
The N.S.G. works by consensus and even if one country opposes the waiver, the move will be scuttled.
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, who is in the U.S.,
will travel directly to Vienna. He will be joined by R. B.
Grover, Director, Strategic Affairs in the Department of
Atomic Energy, and some other officials of the Ministry of
Eexternal Affairs.
Though India is not a member of the N.S.G., the
delegation led by Menon will be camping in Vienna to meet
envoys of the N.S.G. countries, if necessary, to make further
efforts to persuade them.
Indian officials said that while all efforts will be
made to allay the apprehensions of the sceptic countries,
India will not accept the waiver if it is laden with
conditions.
India says the revised draft should be able to address
the apprehensions that some of the countries have.
New Delhi maintains that if any country has any
non-proliferation issues, those can be sorted out with them
when bilateral agreements are signed.
A day after the editorial in Chinese People's Daily
increased anxiety over the fate of the waiver, Beijing
expressed hope that the N.S.G. would be able to "strike a
balance between nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use" of
atomic energy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said
Beijing has always played a "positive role" at the meetings of
the N.S.G. as it believes all countries have the right to
develop nuclear energy while observing the obligations of the
non-proliferation regime.
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 U.S. in this context.
