New Delhi
21 December 2007
The cancellation of a 600 million dollar contract with Eurocopter, a
unit of European aerospace giant EADS, to supply 197 helicopters to the Indian Army is
unfortunate but it is not the end of the world, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
said.
"I'm not satisfied [but] I'm not angry [either]," he told reporters after calling on Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday morning. "This is trade behaviours, international
bidding we are used to. This is just an episode ... this is not the end of the world," he
explained.
There are other items in the India-France bilateral basket worthy of attention too, Mr
Kouchner hastened to add, like for instance a pact on civil nuclear energy cooperation,
setting up of joint working group on climate change and an Indian cultural centre in Paris,
maintenance and modernisation of Mirage jets, and executing the order for the sale of a
first series of Scorpene submarines.
France is "still working" on the pact for maintenance of Mirage jets but certain other
agreements are ready for signing during French President Nicolas Sarkozy's State visit
to India from January 24, he said, without elaborating. Mr Sarkozy will be the chief guest
for India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
"We are in favour of initialling a sort of [pact] like the Americans want to do on nuclear
civil power," Mr Kouchner said. However, he qualified it by saying that India will need to
conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for
the India-France bilateral pact to take effect.
"We were always in favour of India getting back to the [IAEA.] You have to clear the
situation in terms of international law," he said, reminding New Delhi that Paris will be
waiting. "Even if protocol is ready we have to wait, wait for agency," he clarified, before
going on to cite France's proven track record in civil nuclear energy.
France has 56 nuclear power plants operating in its territory. Over 90 per cent of
electricity consumed in France is produced by nuclear power plants. The nuclear plants
operating in France are "very secure, more secure than anywhere else in the world," he
added for good measure, in a deft sales pitch.
Mr Bernard Kouchner met with Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee on
Thursday. They discussed different aspects of bilateral relations and current
international issues. He called on Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia
Gandhi. He and his wife, Christine Ockrent, will visit Agra.
// BOX //
Help for Indian students in France
France wants to triple the number of Indian students studying in France, Mr Kouchner
said. France is toying with the idea of allowing the Indian students to work in France so
that they can pay for their studies. He recognised that the French tradition of offering
fewer scholarships and no permission to work is an "obstacle" to welcoming more Indian
students into France. "We will change our habit," Mr Kouchner promised, adding that the
French Government will offer jobs in France to the Indians wanting to study in his
country.
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