NSG decides to strengthen guidelines on ENR transfer

New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) In a decision that could have a
bearing on India, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has
decided to strengthen its guidelines on the transfer of
sensitive enrichment and reprocessing technologies (ENR).
At a two-day meeting in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, which
ended Friday, the 46-nation grouping also considered "all
aspects of the implementation of the 2008 Statement on Civil
Nuclear Cooperation with India."
The meeting also discussed the "NSG relationship with
India", at a time when the grouping is considering the
country's entry as a full member.
A press statement issued after the meeting said the NSG
noted the need to "address proliferation concerns without
hampering legitimate trade and reaffirmed the importance of
licensing and enforcement based on NSG guidelines and control
lists."
The NSG, therefore, "agreed to strengthen its guidelines
on the transfer of sensitive enrichment and reprocessing
technologies."
Though it did not specify as to what aspects of the
guidelines were to be strengthened, the move would have a
bearing on India considering that some countries have been
insisting that ENR technology should be denied to it as it has
not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The US has sought to play down any concerns, saying the
NSG decision would bring India "closer" to international
commerce in the nuclear sector.
While the NSG has been trying to evolve a consensus on
curbing transfer of ENR technology and equipment to countries
which have not signed the NPT, the group of eight developed
countries had vowed in 2009 to do so.
This had surprised India which had got a "clean waiver"
from NSG in September 2008. PTI AKK
KAP