PM rules out n-material being used for 'unintended purpose'

V S Chandrasekar
Toronto, Jun 28 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Monday ruled out the possibility of nuclear material or
equipment supplied to India under civil nuclear cooperation
agreements being used for "any unintended purpose."
"Nuclear material supplied to India will be fully
safeguarded in terms of agreement signed with IAEA. We have
fool-proof system of export controls.
"We have complete control and there is no scope for
any nuclear material or equipment being supplied going for any
unintended purpose," Singh told a joint press conference with
his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper after the two
countries signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement.
He was responding to a question whether there were
enough safeguards to prevent nuclear material coming to India
under such agreements being used for any weapons programme.
India already has civil nuclear agreements with eight
countries like the US, France and Russia.
Replying to questions, Harper said Canada, which had
imposed sanctions on India after the Pokhran-I and Pokhran-II
atomic tests in 1971 and 1998, cannot live in the past.
"We have received all the reasons that we were looking
(for signing a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with
India). It is a good agreement. We got much more important
reasons because we cannot live in the past of 1970s," Harper
said.
He said India is a "powerhouse that is going to play a
very important role in the world.
"We are determined to develop cooperation not only for
the sake of our industry, but it is also an agreement which is
a symbol of our relationship," he said. (more) PTI VSC
MRD


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