Keen on developing relations with India in civil nuclear field, Belarus on Monday promised to work with other Nuclear Supplier Group members to create framework for expanded cooperation with New Delhi in this sector.
The two countries decided to set up a joint commission on military-technical cooperation besides signing an extradition treaty and four other pacts after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Belarus President A G Lukashenko in New Delhi.
A joint statement issued after the talks said the two sides recognised that nuclear energy is a 'viable, long-term economical and environmentally-sound' means for electric power generation.
They expressed their intention to 'broaden and strengthen cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy,' it said.
'Belarus will continue to work with the participating governments of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in order to create conditions for the expansion of the framework for cooperation with India in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy,' the statement said.
The two sides recognised the importance of application of innovative technologies in the nuclear sphere and noted that their participation in an international project on innovative nuclear reactors being implemented under the aegis of the IAEA is an example of effective international cooperation in this regard.
Both India and Belarus, as responsible members of the international community, reiterated their commitment to the objective of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
Acknowledging prospects of strengthening defence ties, India and Belarus agreed to set up a joint commission on military-technical cooperation.
After the talks that covered a wide range of bilateral and international issues, the two sides signed an extradition treaty that will provide for transfer of fugitives, including economic offenders.
The salient features of the treaty include provisional arrest and obligation to extradite, extradition procedures, grounds for refusal to extradite and rule of speciality.
The two countries also signed an agreement on cooperation in agriculture, protocol on the accession of Belarus to the WTO, programme of cooperation in arts, culture, education and mass media for 2007-09 and executive programme of cooperation in science and technology for 2007-10.
Both sides said terrorism, in all its manifestations poses a serious threat to global peace and stability, and agreed to further strengthen cooperation bilaterally as well as in the multilateral context to combat this phenomenon.
In this context, they asked all member states to step up efforts for expeditious conclusion of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations.
Belarus backed India's claim for permanent membership of UN Security council as both sides stressed the need for greater efforts by all countries to accelerate the process of UN reform, including expansion of Security Council, in both permanent and non permanent categories, to reflect contemporary realities.
