Thaindian News

By Manish Chand
Washington, April 12 (IANS) Amid a fresh Western drive to impose fresh sanctions against Iran, India has made it clear to the US that while Tehran should stick to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), sanctions are counter-productive.

The Iranian nuclear issue figured in discussions between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Obama at Blair House, the presidential guesthouse, Sunday on the eve of the Nuclear Security Summit that is expected to focus on Tehran’s defiant nuclear programme.

The discussions took place with a special reference to the ongoing discussions in New York on the possibility of a UN Security Council Resolution to deal with the Iranian nuclear issue, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told journalists here after talks.

“So, the president briefed the prime minister on these discussions. Our prime minister made known India’s position very clearly in this regard,” said Rao.

“You are aware of the fact that we have always stressed that Iran has certain obligations to fulfil as a member of the NPT on the nuclear issue as it concerns Iran,” said Rao.

On the issue of sanctions, Manmohan Singh told Obama that “sanctions when they target ordinary people have always been counter-productive.”

“Both sides agreed to keep in touch on this issue and to continue their discussions,” she said.

While India believes that a nuclear weapon Iran is not in the interests of regional stability, it has consistently advocated dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the issue of the Iranian nuclear programme, suspected of developing nuclear weapons.

In November last year, India had backed an international resolution against Iran over its nuclear programme, but qualified it by saying it is opposed to “a renewed punitive approach or sanctions” and stressed the need for “keeping doors open for dialogue”.

This was the third time in the last five years India had voted against Tehran’s nuclear programme.

India’s reiteration of its opposition to sanctions against Iran came a day before the meeting between Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. Obama is expected to press Hu Monday to follow up on China commitment to help ratchet up pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.

Beijing has agreed to join serious talks about possible new UN sanctions on Tehran.

In a 50-minute meeting between Manmohan Singh and Obama, the Iranian nuclear issue was perhaps the only one over which the US and India differed sharply.

The meeting was described as “extremely positive and constructive” by Indian officials and saw a congruence of views between the two sides on dealing with issues relating to Pakistan-origin terrorism and the stability of Afghanistan.

(Manish Chand can be contacted at manish.c@ians.in)