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India clears the air with Iran

Vladimir Radyuhin

Deal with Iran's programme within IAEA framework

ON THE SIDELINES: External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh with First Deputy President of Iran Parviz Davoodi in Moscow on Wednesday. — Photo: PTI

MOSCOW: External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh has taken advantage of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting here to clear the air in India-Iran relations.

During a half-hour meeting on Wednesday with Iran's First Deputy President Parviz Davoodi, Mr. Singh tried to put India-Iran relations back on track. He reiterated India's position that Iran's nuclear programme should be dealt with within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Dr. Davoodi restated Iran's position that all it was seeking was non-discriminatory treatment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Both positions were reiterated in the background of the shared concern that India-Iran relations should continue to be steady and productive, keeping in mind long-term interests.

Meeting positive

Diplomatic sources said the meeting was positive. It gave Mr. Singh an opportunity to convey the fundamentals of the Indian thinking so as to restore mutual trust for managing relations ahead and pursuing the big energy projects which were being discussed.

Both sides were said to have stressed that tactical differences over the U.S. push to get the IAEA vote again in November to refer the Iran nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council should not be allowed to stand in the way of their long-term close political, economic, and cultural relations.

Mr. Singh noted Dr. Davoodi's constructive address at the SCO meeting, where he declared Teheran's willingness to reopen talks on its nuclear programme "without any precondition."

It was agreed that a high-level India-Iran dialogue would continue in the weeks ahead. India and Iran, as well as Pakistan, joined the SCO as observers in July.

Talks with Wen

On Wednesday, Mr. Singh also met China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao here. Mr. Wen assured him that nothing would stand in the way of further strengthening of India-China relations.

Mr. Singh said after the meeting that he would visit Beijing in February next and that the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India, Russia and China would take place in Delhi in March.

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