China Doesn't Consider India a Candidate for Nuclear Supplier's Club

Sputnik News

17:36 20.06.2016(updated 17:37 20.06.2016)

China has said that the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) members are still divided on whether India should be permitted to join, and that Indian membership is not on the agenda for the Seoul meeting.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – China's indifference towards India's NSG membership has surfaced again, just before the crucial meeting in Seoul on June 24.
China has said that differences still persists among NSG members over the inclusion of new countries and the issue was not even on the agenda of the group's meeting in Seoul this week.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, "We have stressed that the NSG is still divided about non-NPT countries' entry into the NSG and under the current circumstances, we hope that NSG will make it through discussions to make a decision based on consultation."

China's reaction is in stark contrast to what Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday during a press conference. She said that India is hopeful about getting NSG membership next year.

"China is not opposing the membership of India in NSG, it is only talking of criteria and procedure. I am hopeful that we would be able to convince China as well to support our entry to the NSG," Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

She further added that, "I think that there is a consensus which is being made and I am sure that India will become a member of the NSG this year."

In fact, Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also visited China on June 16-17 and apart from other issues, he discussed India's NSG membership with the Chinese government.

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