New Delhi
30 November 2007
The European Union is not likely to forge a common position on a
matter of "detail" like the proposed India-United States civil nuclear cooperation
agreement. The 27-member bloc also does not have a common position on the
expansion of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
"The EU does not have common position on all details of international agenda," visiting
Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates on Friday told a joint news conference with
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and European Commission President Jose Manuel
Barroso after the eighth EU-India Summit here.
The Portuguese premier, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the
European Council, said that what the EU does have is a broad foreign policy on major
points of international agenda. That foreign policy includes "a common position [and]
vision of nuclear policy," he said.
Outlining the policy, Mr Socrates said that the EU strongly favours regulation of use of
nuclear technology and it believes that the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) still
remains the key convention to regulate use, sale and transfer of nuclear material and
technology and ensure safety.
"It is clear in this summit that we share same points of view and it is necessary for
international compromise to guarantee safety of use of nuclear technology for all the
world, not just countries using nuclear technology," he told a reporter who wanted to
know whether the EU will take a common position when the Nuclear Suppliers Group
(NSG) considers the India-US nuclear deal.
All the 27 EU member-states are members of the NSG. The European Commission
participates as an observer. Germany will succeed South Africa as the NSG chair country
next year. New Delhi expects an unconditional and clean exemption from the 45-member
NSG so that it can procure nuclear fuel and technology from multiple sources. Some EU
member-states have voiced reservations on making an exception for India on the ground
that it may weaken the NPT. India has to negotiate a safeguards agreement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency before the NSG can give the waiver.
"Of course, we understand and we agree with the importance of nuclear technology in
India. India's energy demands are growing, we totally understand," he added, indicating
that the EU will have "stronger institutions" and it can "speak in one voice" after a new
treaty is signed next month. The ceremony is expected to take place at Lisbon in
Portugal on December 13.
In another remark that may have come as a disappointment to New Delhi, the
Portuguese premier said that the EU does not have a common position on the expansion
of the UN Security Council, although it favours reform of the UN to make it contemporary.
"EU understands the world now is different and the most important institution of the world
must change. UN reform is very important and it must change to make it more
representative of the world that is today," Mr Socrates said. He sought to suggest that a
common position is not possible on account of the "different and diverse opinion" within
the EU on who should become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Germany is with India, Brazil and Japan in the Group of Four (G-4) that is seeking
permanent seats in an expanded UN Security Council.
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