India will not support Iran`s nuclear weapon ambitions : PM

Marseilles, Sept 30 (PTI) Making it clear that India
will not support Iran's nuclear weapon ambitions, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh Monday joined the European Union(E.U.)
in asking Tehran to "re-establish" confidence in the nature of
its nuclear programme.

But in some balancing act, Singh, however, said that
(N.P.T.) was entitled to all that is needed to develop its
civil nuclear programme for which it must undertake all the
obligations.

"We do not support nuclear weapon state emerging in our
region. So, there is no question of supporting nuclear weapon
ambitions of Iran," Singh said at joint news conference at the
end of the ninth India-E.U. Summit at this resort town in
French riveira.
it is entitled to all that is needed to develop civil nuclear
undertake all the obligationsthat go with it," he said when
asked to comment on Iran's controverial nuclear programme.

The Iran issue figured at the summit which called on
Tehran to take steps to re-establish confidence in the
nature of its nuclear programme as required by the I.A.E.A.

A joint communique issued at the end of the summit said
India and the E.U. support the current diplomatic efforts and
steps in order to find a satisfacatory solution to the
nuclear issue.

"They expressed their serious concern over the Iranian
nuclear issue and called on Iran to take steps to re-establish
confidence in the nature of its nuclear programme, as required
by the I.A.E.A. Board of Governors.

"They expressed their support for the current
diplomatic efforts and steps in order to find a satisfacatory
solution to the nuclear issue," it said.

India's stand was explained to Sarkozy and other E.U.
leaders, Singh said.

Speaking on a similar vein, Sarkozy said "we need to
deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons programme".

G. Sudhakar Nair

Marseilles, Sept 30 (PTI) Making it clear that India
will not support Iran's nuclear weapon ambitions, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh Monday joined the European Union(E.U.)
in asking Tehran to "re-establish" confidence in the nature of
its nuclear programme.

But in some balancing act, Singh, however, said that
(N.P.T.) was entitled to all that is needed to develop its
civil nuclear programme for which it must undertake all the
obligations.

"We do not support nuclear weapon state emerging in our
region. So, there is no question of supporting nuclear weapon
ambitions of Iran," Singh said at joint news conference at the
end of the ninth India-E.U. Summit at this resort town in
French riveira.
it is entitled to all that is needed to develop civil nuclear
undertake all the obligationsthat go with it," he said when
asked to comment on Iran's controverial nuclear programme.

The Iran issue figured at the summit which called on
Tehran to take steps to re-establish confidence in the
nature of its nuclear programme as required by the I.A.E.A.

A joint communique issued at the end of the summit said
India and the E.U. support the current diplomatic efforts and
steps in order to find a satisfacatory solution to the
nuclear issue.

"They expressed their serious concern over the Iranian
nuclear issue and called on Iran to take steps to re-establish
confidence in the nature of its nuclear programme, as required
by the I.A.E.A. Board of Governors.

"They expressed their support for the current
diplomatic efforts and steps in order to find a satisfacatory
solution to the nuclear issue," it said.

India's stand was explained to Sarkozy and other E.U.
leaders, Singh said.

Speaking on a similar vein, Sarkozy said "we need to
deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons programme".