India, Russia stress on nuke non-proliferation

India and Russia on Tuesday stressed on the need for all states to comply with their respective obligations on nuclear non-proliferation.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is on an official visit to India on December 21-22 at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the 10th Annual Summit meeting under the India Russia Strategic Partnership.

“India and the Russian Federation, as responsible states, possessing advanced nuclear technologies, share the objective of preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including preventing their possible acquisition by terrorist groups,” said a joint statement issued by Singh and Medvedev.

“Both sides agreed on the need for all states possessing nuclear weapons to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to global nuclear disarmament in a way that promotes international stability, peace and undiminished and increased security for all.”

India welcomed the signing of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. “India and the Russian Federation are interested in strengthening multilateral export control regimes as an important component of the global non-proliferation regime,” said the statement.

In this regard, the Russian side expressed readiness to assist and promote a discussion and positive decision in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) on India’s full membership in the NSG, and welcomed India’s intention to seek full membership.

India underscored its determination to actively contribute to international efforts aimed at strengthening nuclear non-proliferation regime. Russia also took into positive consideration India’s interest in full membership in MTCR and the Wassenaar Arrangement. “While recognizing the inherent right of states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, India and the Russian Federation stress the need for all states to comply with their respective obligations on non-proliferation,” said the statement.

The sides support the central role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its safeguards system in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, in accordance with its statute. “The sides intend to support international efforts aimed at promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy as part of a proliferation-resistant architecture of international cooperation, based on strict implementation of non-proliferation obligations. “As supplier states, the sides support multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle at the IAEA,” said the statement.

By WBRi IBNS Wire