Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) France Friday underlined that the new guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) tightening the export of sensitive technologies did not undermine the clean waiver given by the 46-nation nuclear cartel to India in 2008 and reiterated its commitment to full civilian atomic cooperation with New Delhi.

The decision taken by the NSG is not a measure targeting any particular State, France’s ambassador to India Jerôme Bonnafont said in a statement while alluding to the June 24 amendments to NSG guidelines for transfers of sensitive enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies.

“This decision is the fruit of prolonged discussions initiated in 2004,” he added.

“Coming after the decision of exemption from the full-scope safeguards clause, adopted in favour of India in September 2008, it does not undermine the principles of this exemption,” the envoy underlined.

France confirms that this NSG decision in no way undermines the parameters of our bilateral cooperation, and is committed to the full implementation of our cooperation agreement on the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed on September 30, 2008, the envoy added.

Underlining France’s commitment to the development of “an innovative, broad-based and dynamic civilian nuclear cooperation” with India, the envoy said Paris appreciated India’s commitment to non-proliferation and reaffirmed during the NSG plenary meeting its full support for India’s membership of the four multilateral export control regimes.

During his visit to India in December 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had announced France’s full support for India’s membership of elite nuclear groups including the NSG, the Australia Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) that control the global export of atomic materials and equipment.

France’s clarification on the NSG waiver came amid concerns in India about the new guidelines approved by the cartel at its meeting in the Netherlands a week ago which restrict the transfer of NSG technologies to countries which have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

In September 2008, France became the first country to sign a bilateral civilian nuclear accord with India after the NSG granted a landmark waiver to New Delhi, reopening global civilian nuclear commerce after a gap of 34 years.

The French envoy’s assurance on his country’s commitment to full civilian nuclear cooperation came a day after outgoing US ambassador Timothy J. Roemer stressed that Washington to firmly committed to NSG’s clean waiver to India.