ID :
175431
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 13:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/175431
The shortlink copeid
PM to visit Kazakhstan tomorrow: Nuke, oil pacts on agenda
Ajay Kaul
Sanya (China), Apr 14 (PTI) India and Kazakhstan are
poised to consolidate on their strategic partnership as they
are expected to sign an inter-governmental framework agreement
on civil nuclear cooperation and some other pacts when Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh undertakes a visit there on
Friday.
Singh, who will travel to Astana from here as part of
his two-nation tour, will also discuss with Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbaev ways to enhance two-way trade and forging
closer physical connectivity.
The inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in
peaceful uses of nuclear energy will be among at least six
pacts that the two countries are expected to sign during
Singh's two-day visit as part of an endeavour to consolidate
on the strategic partnership put in place in 2009.
India and Kazakhstan already have civil nuclear
cooperation since January 2009 when Nuclear Power Corporation
of India Limited (NPCIL) and Kazakh nuclear company
KazAtomProm signed an MoU during the visit of Nazarbaev to
Delhi.
Under the contract, KazAtomProm supplies uranium which
is used by Indian reactors.
The inter-governmental agreement will broad-base the
cooperation and is expected to cover aspects like research,
technology transfer and exploration of uranium in Kazakhstan,
which is known to have one of the richest reserves of the
nuclear fuel that India needs in increasing quantity, sources
said.
Construction of small and medium capacity nuclear
plants could also form part of the agreement for which
negotiations have been going on for nearly two years.
Ever since the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG) ended
India's 34-year-old isolation in 2008 by giving a one-time
waiver to have cooperation in civil nuclear field, it has
signed such civil nuclear agreements with a number of
countries including the US, France, Russia, Canada, Argentina
and Mongolia.
However, while discussing the future cooperation in
the nuclear field, Singh and Nazarbaev are expected to keep in
mind the recent radiation scare in Japan after tsunami struck
there and learn lessons from it.
During the visit, a pact will also be signed between
state-run ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Kazakhstan's national oil
firm KazMunaiGaz JSC under which the Indian company will
acquire 25 per cent stake in the Satpayev block in the Caspian
Sea.
The pact will provide for exploration and production
of oil from the Satpayev block which is spread over 1,582 sq
km and is believed to have 1.75 billion barrels of reserves.
OVL is expected to invest to the tune of USD 400 million in
the block.
An agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty is also
expected to be signed between the two sides.
Singh and Nazarbaev are also expected to discuss ways
to enhance bilateral trade and a target could be fixed.
Bilateral trade in 2010 was around USD 313.8 million, after an
increase of around 23.8 per cent over USD 253.4 million in
2009.
The two countries are also likely to firm up some
exchange mechanism in the field of cinema as part of ways to
increase cultural ties.
Sanya (China), Apr 14 (PTI) India and Kazakhstan are
poised to consolidate on their strategic partnership as they
are expected to sign an inter-governmental framework agreement
on civil nuclear cooperation and some other pacts when Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh undertakes a visit there on
Friday.
Singh, who will travel to Astana from here as part of
his two-nation tour, will also discuss with Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbaev ways to enhance two-way trade and forging
closer physical connectivity.
The inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in
peaceful uses of nuclear energy will be among at least six
pacts that the two countries are expected to sign during
Singh's two-day visit as part of an endeavour to consolidate
on the strategic partnership put in place in 2009.
India and Kazakhstan already have civil nuclear
cooperation since January 2009 when Nuclear Power Corporation
of India Limited (NPCIL) and Kazakh nuclear company
KazAtomProm signed an MoU during the visit of Nazarbaev to
Delhi.
Under the contract, KazAtomProm supplies uranium which
is used by Indian reactors.
The inter-governmental agreement will broad-base the
cooperation and is expected to cover aspects like research,
technology transfer and exploration of uranium in Kazakhstan,
which is known to have one of the richest reserves of the
nuclear fuel that India needs in increasing quantity, sources
said.
Construction of small and medium capacity nuclear
plants could also form part of the agreement for which
negotiations have been going on for nearly two years.
Ever since the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG) ended
India's 34-year-old isolation in 2008 by giving a one-time
waiver to have cooperation in civil nuclear field, it has
signed such civil nuclear agreements with a number of
countries including the US, France, Russia, Canada, Argentina
and Mongolia.
However, while discussing the future cooperation in
the nuclear field, Singh and Nazarbaev are expected to keep in
mind the recent radiation scare in Japan after tsunami struck
there and learn lessons from it.
During the visit, a pact will also be signed between
state-run ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Kazakhstan's national oil
firm KazMunaiGaz JSC under which the Indian company will
acquire 25 per cent stake in the Satpayev block in the Caspian
Sea.
The pact will provide for exploration and production
of oil from the Satpayev block which is spread over 1,582 sq
km and is believed to have 1.75 billion barrels of reserves.
OVL is expected to invest to the tune of USD 400 million in
the block.
An agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty is also
expected to be signed between the two sides.
Singh and Nazarbaev are also expected to discuss ways
to enhance bilateral trade and a target could be fixed.
Bilateral trade in 2010 was around USD 313.8 million, after an
increase of around 23.8 per cent over USD 253.4 million in
2009.
The two countries are also likely to firm up some
exchange mechanism in the field of cinema as part of ways to
increase cultural ties.