ID :
19015
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 00:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/19015
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Nothing prevents India from doing N-trade with others: Pranab
New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Nothing prevents India from
signing up with other countries for nuclear trade and it would
like to do it "as early as possible", External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said.
His remarks assume significance in the context of U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging India not to
"disadvantage" U.S. by doing nuclear trade with other
countries before the U.S. Congress approves the Indo-US
nuclear deal.
"No. What I said was different. I said that 123
Agreement is not not complete till it is ratified by U.S.
Congress.
"So we have to wait till the whole process is finalised
before we can do nuclear trade with the U.S. Theoretically
nothing prevents us from signing up with other countries," the
minister told "India Today".
Asked if this meant India could do business with other
countries like France and Russia, he said "of course, we can
approach other countries to start business and we will like to
do it as early as possible."
To a question whether he was disappointed by China's
approach at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting last week,
Mukherjee said if China was not not part of the consensus
there would not not have been a consensus in the NSG.
"It is as simple as that. Their actions before that
and during the plenary is part of the normal decision making
process," he said.
But when he was asked about the National Security
Adviser saying he was upset with the Chinese attitude,
Mukherjee said "there may have been statements. What I am
saying is the policy of the government.
"I would like to go by what the Chinese foreign
minister said which is that actions speak louder than words.
And their action showed that they were part of the consensus."
To a question about the fuel supply assurances that are
being raised, he said "you have to judge it with what is
mentioned in the 123 agreement. As I said the waiver is just
the passport. The visa will be the bilateral agreement that we
will sign with individual NSG countries."
Asked whether the government would be amending the
domestic Atomic Energy Act to allow private companies in
nuclear trade, he said it was too early to say it.
"The current thinking is government will do the trade
through the Atomic Energy Commission. I can't comment what
will happen after the general elections and a new government
is in place."
About the nuclear weapons programme, Mukherjee said
the nuclear doctrine has been enumerated by the previous
Vajpayee government and the UPA government was strictly
adhering to it.
"We are not not enhancing or reducing our programme.
We must have a minimum credible nuclear deterrent, so that
nobody will attack us with nuclear weapons because they know
our retaliation would be unacceptable to them.
"We are not not interested in stockpiling of nuclear
weapons or a nuclear arms race. Our overall commitment to
nuclear proliferation is there," he said.
signing up with other countries for nuclear trade and it would
like to do it "as early as possible", External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said.
His remarks assume significance in the context of U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging India not to
"disadvantage" U.S. by doing nuclear trade with other
countries before the U.S. Congress approves the Indo-US
nuclear deal.
"No. What I said was different. I said that 123
Agreement is not not complete till it is ratified by U.S.
Congress.
"So we have to wait till the whole process is finalised
before we can do nuclear trade with the U.S. Theoretically
nothing prevents us from signing up with other countries," the
minister told "India Today".
Asked if this meant India could do business with other
countries like France and Russia, he said "of course, we can
approach other countries to start business and we will like to
do it as early as possible."
To a question whether he was disappointed by China's
approach at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting last week,
Mukherjee said if China was not not part of the consensus
there would not not have been a consensus in the NSG.
"It is as simple as that. Their actions before that
and during the plenary is part of the normal decision making
process," he said.
But when he was asked about the National Security
Adviser saying he was upset with the Chinese attitude,
Mukherjee said "there may have been statements. What I am
saying is the policy of the government.
"I would like to go by what the Chinese foreign
minister said which is that actions speak louder than words.
And their action showed that they were part of the consensus."
To a question about the fuel supply assurances that are
being raised, he said "you have to judge it with what is
mentioned in the 123 agreement. As I said the waiver is just
the passport. The visa will be the bilateral agreement that we
will sign with individual NSG countries."
Asked whether the government would be amending the
domestic Atomic Energy Act to allow private companies in
nuclear trade, he said it was too early to say it.
"The current thinking is government will do the trade
through the Atomic Energy Commission. I can't comment what
will happen after the general elections and a new government
is in place."
About the nuclear weapons programme, Mukherjee said
the nuclear doctrine has been enumerated by the previous
Vajpayee government and the UPA government was strictly
adhering to it.
"We are not not enhancing or reducing our programme.
We must have a minimum credible nuclear deterrent, so that
nobody will attack us with nuclear weapons because they know
our retaliation would be unacceptable to them.
"We are not not interested in stockpiling of nuclear
weapons or a nuclear arms race. Our overall commitment to
nuclear proliferation is there," he said.
