France for full civil nuke cooperation with India, says Manmohan Singh

France is keen to have full civil nuclear cooperation, including transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology, with India, notwithstanding the G-8 declaration which vows to curb sharing of such knowhow with non-NPT nations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today.

France is keen to have full civil nuclear cooperation, including transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology, with India, notwithstanding the G-8 declaration which vows to curb sharing of such knowhow with non-NPT nations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday.

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Responding to a clarification in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said he had raised the issue of the nuclear cooperation against the backdrop of G-8 resolution with French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his visit to Paris earlier this week.

"I did raise this issue with Sarkozy. Sarkozy was absolutely emphatic that France is eager to enter into full civil nuclear cooperation with India, that means it includes ENR technology," he said in response to a clarification sought by CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechuri.

The Group of 8 industrialised nations, which includes France, had in a declaration committed to curb transfer of ENR technology and items to countries that have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty. India is among the countries which have not signed NPT.

India and France signed the civil nuclear cooperation agreement when Sarkozy visited New Delhi early this year.

Referring to Paris where he was chief guest at the French National Day on July 14, Singh said it "was an honour and a matter of pride for us all."

Singh said he wanted to share the "pride" that he felt on seeing Indian soldiers leading the French National Day parade.