India should not face any civilian nuclear technology restrictions, says IAEA chief Dr ElBaradei

11 October 2007

The IAEA chief met foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday evening as the Left parties threatened to withdraw parliamentary support to the government if the deal, which would open international civil nuclear cooperation with India after over three decades, moves ahead.

Both sides had pulled back from the brink in talks on Tuesday 9 October, easing fears of imminent elections but raising worries that the government was endangering the accord with a prolonged debate.

"The agreement is for the government to decide. But I would like to see India become a full partner in the nuclear field and I''d like to see India make use of every technology," Dr ElBaradei told the media after the meeting.

No deadline
Dr Dr ElBaradei has said he is open to talks with India whenever it approached the IAEA on the safeguards agreement — the first step to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal. The IAEA would wait for a formal request, he said, and whenever India was ready it could approach the agency. Dr ElBaradei said he would wait for India to go to the IAEA when the "domestic political dialogue" is over.

On a three-day trip to India, Dr ElBaradei spoke to the media at the inauguration of an indigenously developed, computerised telecobalt radiotherapy unit, the Bhabhatron II, at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai. Dr ElBaradei described India as a valuable partner in the peaceful use of atomic energy, and said it was a model for all developing countries with its investments in science, technology and research.

Accordingly, Dr ElBaradei beieves India should not face any civilian nuclear technology restrictions.