India gets positive response from NSG, IAEA members at NAM meet

India has received a positive response from the Non-Aligned Movement countries, which are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group on the Indo-US nuclear deal after it briefed them on the safeguards agreement, which the global nuclear watchdog will consider on Friday.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who arrived in the Iranian capital on Monday to take part in the NAM ministerial meeting, met on Tuesday evening with his counterpart from Algeria, which is part of the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors.

Mukherjee also held talks with the foreign ministers of Cyprus and Belarus, which are members of the NSG, on the sidelines of the ministerial meet.

During the meetings, he briefed the leaders on the safeguards agreement that is crucial to the implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

There was a clear appreciation of India's energy needs, said an official who was present at all the meetings.

Other NAM countries, which are part of the IAEA, are Egypt and Ghana while South Africa is a member of the NSG.

The minister also met his counterpart from Cuba Felibe Perez Rogue who is chairing the 15 NAM ministerial meet.

India has been involved in hectic lobbying ahead of the crucial IAEA meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh writing separate letters to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao in a bid to garner support for the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Besides the safeguards agreement to be cleared by the IAEA, a waiver from NSG for carrying out nuclear commerce is necessary for the implementation of the deal.