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MOSCOW, July 15 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia continues to call for a full-fledged participation of India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and is ready to promote such a decision,” Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday commenting the results of the NSG meeting in the Netherlands last month.
He said the meeting “launched concrete discussions of the possible ways to include New Delhi into the regime of nuclear export control.”
“We have numerously raised the issue of establishing regular contacts between the NSG and India and the creation of a mechanism that will allow New Delhi participate in drafting export control norms in the nuclear field. (In the Netherlands) we confirmed our active adherence to ensuring full-fledged Indian participation in the NSG and readiness to promote and assist the drafting and adoption of a corresponding decision,” he said.
The spokesman said NSG 2011 decision to enhance control over sensible nuclear exports in no way affects the Group’s decision in September 2008 to unfreeze peaceful nuclear cooperation with India.
“We consider Russian-Indian cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear power as an important backbone element of bilateral strategic partnership. We are satisfied with the development of our cooperation in nuclear power engineering and hope to expand and strengthen ties in the sphere according to Russian legislation and in strict compliance by both parties with their international commitments,” Lukashevich said.
“All the necessary provisions are fixed in the agreement of March 12, 2010 between the governments of our countries on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear power and in the joint statement of our leaders adopted in December 2010,” the spokesman said.
“We are ready to continue their efficient implementation,” he added.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group is a multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that may be applicable to nuclear weapon development and by improving safeguards and protection on existing materials. It currently unites 45 countries.