France expresses interest in forging civil N-cooperation with India
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Dec 21, IRNA
India-France-Nuke Cooperation
Expressing interest in forging civil nuclear cooperation with India, France Friday said it would await the outcome of talks between New Delhi and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a safeguards agreement.
"We are in favour of initialing a sort of strategic agreement but we have to wait for the IAEA," visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told journalists here soon after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The European country, which generates 90 per cent of electricity using atomic energy, said India needed to be brought into the international nuclear mainstream.
Kouchner, who held wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee Thursday, said France is in "favour of India getting back to the international nuclear power agency. We have to create situation in terms of international law. We are waiting for that."
Civil nuclear cooperation figured in the discussions between Mukherjee and Kouchner, with the Indian side apprising the French leader about the ongoing talks with IAEA for the proposed safeguards agreement as a follow up to the atomic deal with the US.
Paris has maintained that India needed to be brought into the nuclear mainstream as it would benefit the NPT system.
Kouchner, whose visit takes place about a month ahead of President Nicholas Sarkozy's maiden tour here, said the two countries were working on a number of agreements.
Sarkozy is likely to come here on January 24 and will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade on January 26 -an honour bestowed on the leaders of those countries with which India shares special ties.
"We have a lot of projects and we are eager to see their results during the visit of the President," he said.
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