ID :
18220
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 09:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/18220
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Further progress on India waiver at NSG talks
Ajay Kaul
Vienna, Sept 5 (PTI) Further progress was made Friday at the meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) towards reaching a consensus for a waiver to India as the United States expressed optimism over achieving the "objective".
A statement issued by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi affirming India's commitment to non-proliferation goals sent out the right signals and boosted its case before the 45-member nuclear cartel, which welcomed and praised it.
A few countries are still said to be having some questions, particularly on the issue of nuclear testing by India, when they put forth their expressions during the morning session on the second day of the N.S.G. meeting.
Efforts are still under way to assuage their concerns, diplomats said.
"We are pleased that there was a positive momentum in
the discussions," John Rood, U.S. acting Under Secretary for
Arms Control, told reporters before lunch break.
He called Mukherjee's statement regarding India's
commitment to non proliferation as "very significant" and said
it was discussed by the N.S.G. members who "praised and
welcomed" it.
"On the basis of this we believe a positive momentum
was generated in the discussions," Rood said.
The U.S. official emphasised that his country remained
committed to securing the exception for India and was
optimistic on achieving the goal.
"We are both committed to achieving the objective and
achieving consensus and are optimistic that we can achieve the
goal," he said.
The idea of Mukherjee making a statement to mollify the
concerns of countries with strong views on proliferation was
discussed by Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Prime
Minister's special envoy Shyam Saran with representatives of
these countries last night informally.
During the lunch break, diplomats of these countries
also got in touch with their governments to brief them on
Mukherjee's statement and to get their response.
In his statement Mukherjee also said India would abide
by its voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing and will not be
a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies, including
enrichment and reprocessing transfers.
India will work with the international community to
advance the common objective of non-proliferation.
India's assertion came as four countries of the
45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) stuck to their
reservations on the waiver issue at the two-day meeting of the
cartel in Vienna.
They felt that India could use the N.S.G. exemption to
further its military nuclear programme.
New Zealand, Austria, Ireland, and Switzerland have
sought changes in the draft proposed by the U.S. which
projected the waiver as a "historic opportunity" to bring the
largest democracy and one of the biggest economies into the
global nuclear mainstream.
An N.S.G. waiver is a key step in the
operationalisation of the nuclear deal which will go to the
U.S. Congress for approval once the atomic cartel gives the
green light. PTI AKK
Vienna, Sept 5 (PTI) Further progress was made Friday at the meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) towards reaching a consensus for a waiver to India as the United States expressed optimism over achieving the "objective".
A statement issued by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi affirming India's commitment to non-proliferation goals sent out the right signals and boosted its case before the 45-member nuclear cartel, which welcomed and praised it.
A few countries are still said to be having some questions, particularly on the issue of nuclear testing by India, when they put forth their expressions during the morning session on the second day of the N.S.G. meeting.
Efforts are still under way to assuage their concerns, diplomats said.
"We are pleased that there was a positive momentum in
the discussions," John Rood, U.S. acting Under Secretary for
Arms Control, told reporters before lunch break.
He called Mukherjee's statement regarding India's
commitment to non proliferation as "very significant" and said
it was discussed by the N.S.G. members who "praised and
welcomed" it.
"On the basis of this we believe a positive momentum
was generated in the discussions," Rood said.
The U.S. official emphasised that his country remained
committed to securing the exception for India and was
optimistic on achieving the goal.
"We are both committed to achieving the objective and
achieving consensus and are optimistic that we can achieve the
goal," he said.
The idea of Mukherjee making a statement to mollify the
concerns of countries with strong views on proliferation was
discussed by Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Prime
Minister's special envoy Shyam Saran with representatives of
these countries last night informally.
During the lunch break, diplomats of these countries
also got in touch with their governments to brief them on
Mukherjee's statement and to get their response.
In his statement Mukherjee also said India would abide
by its voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing and will not be
a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies, including
enrichment and reprocessing transfers.
India will work with the international community to
advance the common objective of non-proliferation.
India's assertion came as four countries of the
45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) stuck to their
reservations on the waiver issue at the two-day meeting of the
cartel in Vienna.
They felt that India could use the N.S.G. exemption to
further its military nuclear programme.
New Zealand, Austria, Ireland, and Switzerland have
sought changes in the draft proposed by the U.S. which
projected the waiver as a "historic opportunity" to bring the
largest democracy and one of the biggest economies into the
global nuclear mainstream.
An N.S.G. waiver is a key step in the
operationalisation of the nuclear deal which will go to the
U.S. Congress for approval once the atomic cartel gives the
green light. PTI AKK
