US prods India to work out safeguards agreement with IAEA

The US on Sunday said it was “important” for India to negotiate a safeguards agreement with the IAEA...

The US on Sunday said it was “important” for India to negotiate a safeguards agreement with the IAEA to operationalise the nuclear deal even as Atomic Energy Commission chief Anil Kakodkar remained tightlipped on whether he would hold talks with the UN nuclear watchdog.

“I will not speak anything on it now,” Kakodkar, who arrived here on Sunday to attend the annual meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said at the IAEA headquarters. He was asked whether he would hold talks with IAEA on the country-specific safeguards agreement or had received any directive from the Government on proceeding with the discussions.

Finalising a India-specific safeguards agreement is one of the key steps for operationalising the deal that has been mired in political controversy with the Left parties threatening to withdraw support to the Government if it goes ahead with the negotiations with IAEA.

Story continues below this ad

Nudging India to fulfil its obligations under the nuclear cooperation agreement, US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said here: “It is important that both India and the US complete these processes by working with International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.” He was answering a query whether India can become a party to Global Nuclear Energy Partnership when it develops a dedicated facility for reprocessing under the deal.

Asked whether the facility has been pledged for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), Bodman said, “We are looking forward to working with India. India has lot of contribution in the development of technologies required under the GNEP and if they desire to join, we appreciate and will be successful in accommodating India.”

Sixteen countries signed the statement of principles of GNEP following a second ministerial meeting chaired by Bodman. India did not participate in the GNEP meet in which 38 countries were represented.

Asked whether India will become part of GNEP, Kakodkar said “first we have to complete the bilateral process on civilian nuclear cooperation”. On whether the dedicated facility for reprocessing fuel will be used by other countries, Kakodkar said “it will be a purely national facility under IAEA safeguards”.