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Government seeks to allay apprehensions of NSG members September 05, 2008 14:35 IST
Seeking to allay apprehensions of certain Nuclear Suppliers Group countries, India on Friday said it is committed to the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and underlined the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons. With the NSG meeting for a waiver to India for nuclear commerce underway in Vienna [Images], External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee issued a statement in Delhi [Images] saying that New Delhi will work with the international community to advance the "common objective" of non-proliferation. He assured the world community that India will not be a source of proliferation of sensitive technologies, including enrichment and reprocessing transfers. Mukherjee noted that New Delhi remained committed to a voluntary, unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. "We do not subscribe to any arms race, including nuclear arms race. We have always tempered the exercise of our strategic autonomy with a sense of global responsibility. We affirm our policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons," he said. "We stand for the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime," Mukherjee said. Mukherjee's remarks come in the backdrop of some members of the 45-nation NSG expressing concern over giving India a waiver for conducting nuclear trade. Assuring the international community about working for a non-proliferation regime, the minister said New Delhi is "interested in participating as a supplier nation, particularly for Thorium-based fuel and in establishment of international fuel banks, which also benefit India."
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