As India prepares to hold talks with the Nuclear Suppliers Group, its key member France Monday said it would help in generating consensus for the Indo-US nuclear deal but ruled out providing uranium till a "green signal" from the 45-nation group.
French Ambassador in New Delhi Dominique Girard said his country was looking forward to industrial cooperation in nuclear field with India in the backdrop of a Joint Statement issued by the two countries recently during the visit of President Jacques Chirac. "This (Indo-US nuclear agreement) is an excellent deal. We are quite happy with it," he told a select group of reporters here during his visit to witness start of week-long Indo-French Naval exercises 'Varuna II' off the Goa coast.
On the requirement for NSG's endorsement of the deal, the envoy said "We will help in that (building of consensus) as much as we can." Supporting India's quest for civilian nuclear energy to meet its growing needs, he hailed its track record. "We feel India should have better access to civilian nuclear technology and materials because of its behaviour, because of its non-proliferation record and because it is a democracy."
Consensus within NSG and its endorsement of the Indo-US deal is a key requisite for allowing international community to resume trade in nuclear field with India. Under the deal, the US is responsible for building consensus for the deal in the NSG. Russia and Britain will also be helping in this process.
The French envoy's comments assume significance as they come just ahead of India beginning talks with NSG on the nuclear issue. Department of Atomic Energy Chairman Anil Kakodkar will travel to Vienna this week to present New Delhi's case before the NSG and talk about India-specific safeguards for civilian nuclear facilities as per the Indo-US agreement.
Asked whether France, like Russia, would be ready to give uranium to India's fuel-deficient reactors like Tarapur till consensus could be evolved at the NSG, Girard ruled it out.
"It is contingent upon the NSG and its green signal," the French ambassador said.
He said Russia could supply uranium to Tarapur Atomic Power Reactors as it has been doing so earlier also. Moscow has provided 60 metric tonnes of uranium to TAPS to prevent it from shutting down. About 20-25 metric tonnes of the consignment has already reached India.
About the next steps in the Indo-French cooperation after issuance of the Joint Statement on the nuclear issue, Girard said Paris was looking forward to "actual cooperation, industrial cooperation". "But everything is possible after NSG's green signal," he said. Noting that France had always been advocating the need for civilian nuclear cooperation with India, Girard said the Indo-US deal will give boost to supplies of nuclear material and technology to New Delhi.
