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India not signed NPT since it was unequal treaty: Mukherjee

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 2, IRNA
India-Iran-Pranab

Indian Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday that New Delhi did not sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty in the late 1960s because it was fundamentally an unequal treaty.

Addressing a seminar entitled "India and Iran: Ancient Civilizations and Modern Nations", he added, "Being a dissenter at that time did imply pressures, costs and burdens, But, in our view, to become party to an unequal arrangement would have been worse." New Delhi has never been on the wrong side of international law or non-proliferation efforts, he noted.

On Iran-India cooperation, he said, "Our histories, both ancient and modern, indicate certain common interests and perceptions.

Regional stability is a foremost consideration for both of us. After all, we did share a common border till 1947 and today share borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, and developments in both these countries affect us vitally.

"Recent history has deprived us of geographical contiguity but we are still and will always remain close neighbors because of our civilizational and historical links and the contemporary substance of our relationship."
Iran is a major energy exporters; while India is amongst the fastest growing energy market in the world, Mukherjee said.

On situation in Palestine, the Indian minister said New Delhi remains convinced that a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question is achievable.

As to the latest developments in Iraq, he said India has long-standing, civilizational ties with Iraq. "We wish to see the Iraqi people freely determine their political future and exercise control over their natural resources," he added.

On the issue of Afghanistan, Mukherjee said India has had a historically friendly relationship with the Afghan nation and is currently actively engaged in the reconstruction activities in that war-torn country.