September 18, 2007	Tuesday	Ramazan 05, 1428

NEW DELHI, Sept 17: Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon on Monday began official talks in Beijing to prepare for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit there later this year, but Chinese officials appeared to reserve comment on the key issue of nuclear cooperation with New Delhi.

“With an open and constructive attitude, China is ready to strengthen cooperation on global nuclear energy with other nations,” Indian news reports quoted Chen Deming, a senior official of the country’s top planning body, as saying in Vienna at the weekend.

As long as nuclear security and non-proliferation were assured, the peaceful use of the nuclear energy could be extended around the world in a safe, economic and reliable way, said Chen, the deputy head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

“The peaceful use of nuclear energy is important to the Chinese government.”

The statement could be interested either way. It signals an open mind by Beijing for discussion on India’s nuclear deal with the United States. New Delhi wants Beijing’s support in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, of which it is a key member. Another way to look at Chen’s comment was that it does not rule out China’s backing for other nations also, possibly including Pakistan, to be accorded similar help. This aspect of the complexity has worried Indian analysts.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had hinted last month that Beijing was prepared to explore possibilities of cooperation with India on peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The Indian government is under pressure from its Left Front allies to abandon the deal with the United States because it is thought to impinge on Delhi’s sovereignty in foreign policy. Though New Delhi says it would press ahead with the next steps involving discussions with the IAEA. The IAEA on Monday said it has not been approached by India for negotiations on the safeguards agreement, amid continuing suspense over whether Indian authorities will hold talks on it during the ongoing meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog.

“We are waiting for the Indian authorities to come for talks on safeguards,” IA EA Director General Mohammed ElBaradei said at a joint press conference with Austrian Minister Ursula Plassnik after opening of the agency’s 51st General Conference.

“So far, they (India) have not approached (us),” Press Trust of India quoted ElBaradei as saying in Vienna.

The Indian team for the IAEA meet led by Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, went into silent mode, unwilling to reveal their mind on the issue, PTI said. Signalling its support for the Indo-US nuclear deal, the IAEA also said it was “good” and “a step in the right direction”. It will provide clean energy to millions of people in India, ElBaradei said.