By IANS,
New Delhi : Slovakia, a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), has indicated its willingness to support India’s quest for global civil nuclear cooperation.
Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis conveyed the central European country’s support for India’s peaceful uses of nuclear energy to his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee when the two held talks Wednesday, official sources said.
Kubis, who wrapped up his two-day visit to India Wednesday, indicated that Slovakia will be inclined to support India’s case at the NSG, but will make up its mind only after seeing India’s safeguards pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
India has to cross two hurdles – finalizing a safeguards pact with the IAEA and a change in NSG guidelines – before its civil nuclear deal with the US can become operational after the US Congress ratifies the deal.
“The talks covered a range of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement Thursday.