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Sign CTBT, France to tell President

Ranvir Nayar in Paris

"India should go ahead and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Not because of the pressure from other countries, but because it is in India's interests." This will be thrust of the message French President Jacques Chirac will deliver to visiting Indian President K R Narayanan on Monday evening in Paris.

The meeting is slated to begin at 1700 local time at Chirac's official home, the Palais Elysees. Though Chirac will reiterate the French position that India should sign the CTBT and lead the way towards global disarmament, he is unlikely to harden the French position on the issue.

Of all the nuclear club members, with the exception of Russia, France has been the most supportive of India after the May 1998 nuclear tests. France has often defended India's right to determine its security and strategic interests and act in order to protect these interests. At the latest meeting -- held in Canada last month -- of the South Asia Task Force, an informal group of 15 countries that was formed following the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan, France recommended the winding up of the SATF, saying it no longer served any purpose.

"We would be very happy if India signed the CTBT, but we don't believe in giving lessons. And we certainly don't believe in imposing sanctions. Our position on the non-practicability of sanctions has been very clear right from the beginning," a source told rediff.com in Paris.

But the CTBT and the associated issue of nuclear proliferation will figure high on the agenda for the summit. The two presidents are also expected to discuss the progress of the bilateral dialogue on nuclear co-operation. The dialogue is being conducted at two levels - officially by Brajesh Mishra, the prime minister's national security adviser, and Gerard Errerra, the French representative, as part of the strategic dialogue which is held every quarter. The second track is the frequent meetings of experts from both sides.

Though France is keen to sell nuclear reactors to India, it is limited by the fact that India is not yet a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or the CTBT. But both sides are examining ways of enhancing bilateral nuclear co-operation in the field of safety and technical exchanges till the Indian situation changes and France is allowed to sell reactors to India.

EARLIER REPORT:
India, France to exchange ratification documents

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