Vienna: India got a big boost ahead of Friday's crucial International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting with the US on Wednesday declaring that its safeguards pact with the nuclear watchdog was a net gain for global non-proliferation.
The US effort to seek support of member countries in the IAEA Board came on a day when India's top nuclear officials arrived here today for negotiations on the safeguards agreement and an Additional Protocol to be cleared by the IAEA and to convince NSG members to give New Delhi a "clean" waiver for implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
In an apparent attempt to allay any apprehensions about India's non-proliferation record, US Ambasador to the IAEA Gregory L Schulte said the safeguards pact that will allow UN monitors to inspect some of India's nuclear facilities was sound.
The IAEA Board of Governors will consider the India-specific safeguards pact on Friday for approval.
Schulte said the IAEA clearance would consttute a major step forward in the effort to put behind differences that affected the world's ties with India in the nuclear field for over three decades.
Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar will begin his talks a day after the US circulated a draft note prepared by it for the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group that has left New Delhi unhappy as it did not make a mention of either testing or Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), sources said.
After the Board of Governors meeting on August one, the US is planning to circulate the final note to the NSG members to consider India's demands.
Kakodkar will have a series of meetings to ensure a smooth sailing at the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors and Nuclear Suppliers Group, the sources said.
He is expected to hold talks with all NSG members during his stay to bring them on board for giving India a "clean and unconditional waiver" ahead of the group's first meeting early next month. India is a member of IAEA but not the NSG.
Kakodkar told PTI he would take part in all discussions including the negotiations that are underway on an Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
India began consultations with the IAEA this week to draft a template of an India-specific 'Additional Protocol' for inspection of its civilian nuclear power plants as per the Indo-US statement on civil nuclear cooperation of July 2005.
There is a possibility that Board of Governors might insist that the India-specific "An Additional Protocol" is also signed along with the safeguards agreement to enable inspection of those nuclear units declared by New Delhi as civil, according to the experts.
Comments
0 comment