Though admitting that no deals or agreements will be inked during the forthcoming visit of the French President to India next month, the visiting foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has said that Paris is willing to carry forward the agreement on civil nuclear matters with India.
Referring to the French hopes of signing a civilian nuclear power deal with India as well as co-operation on defence, transport, climate change and culture, he said, ??We are working towards agreement on civil nuclear power and my country is ready to work on this agreement. I know that you have to align and to implement all the international laws and international nuclear agency.??
India has to align with all the IAEA laws and ??we are waiting for that,?? he said referring to the proposed safeguards agreement for which New Delhi is holding talks with the global atomic watchdog.
Responding to a question if the text of the proposed agreement had been finalised, Kouchner said ??no, we are working on it. We cannot sign it, but we can conclude the agreement.?? Discussions are underway on details and particular proposals of the agreement which would be on the lines of the Indo-US deal, he said.
Calling for concerted efforts by the two nations, Kouchner said, ??I am completely convinced that both India and France absolutely look like each other, a sort of strong and determined strength to find a particular way to democracy and peace??.
France, one of the key member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), is keen to see the international community opening up atomic trade with India and has expressed readiness to help in this direction.
During the visit of former President Jacque Chirac to India last year, both reaffirmed their willingness to deepen and expand bilateral cooperation for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.