India, France working on N-coop agreement
New Delhi (PTI): India and France are working on a proposed civil nuclear agreement on the lines of Indo-US deal, visiting Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said here on Monday.
The issue of civil nuclear cooperation will be discussed during the visit of French President Nicholas Sarkozy here next month but finalisation of the agreement will have to await till India gets a nod from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"We are working on an agreement on civil nuclear power," Kouchner said as he wound up his four-day visit here during which he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and held talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Asked whether the two sides had finalised the text of the proposed agreement, he said "no, we are working on it. We cannot sign it, but we can conclude the agreement."
He said discussions are underway on details and particular proposals of the agreement which would be on the lines of the Indo-US deal.
"This agreement is coming from the text of your (India's) future eventual agreement with America," Kouchner said, adding however, that "there is some difference in the way." He did not elaborate.
India has to align with and implement all the international laws of the IAEA and "we are waiting for that," he said apparently referring to the proposed safeguards agreement for which New Delhi is holding talks with the global atomic watchdog.
France, a 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.
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