France for N-coop with India

France President Nicholas Sarkozy has showed an interest to have civil nuclear cooperation with India on the pattern of the Indo-US deal.

Ahead of the maiden visit of President Nicholas Sarkozy in New Delhi, France on Friday evinced interest to have civil nuclear cooperation with India on the pattern of the Indo-US deal but would await outcome of talks between New Delhi and IAEA.

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"We are in favour of initialing a sort of future agreement (with India) like America wants to do (with India) on civil nuclear power," visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told journalists here soon after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He, however, said Paris would have to "wait for the (International Atomic Energy) Agency", apparently referring to the ongoing talks between India and IAEA for a safeguards agreement as a follow up to the nuclear deal with the US.

Sarkozy, who was elected French President earlier this year, will undertake a four-day visit in the Capital from January 24 during which the issue of nuclear cooperation is expected to be discussed.

The French President will be the chief guest at the upcoming Republic Day celebrations. Kouchner, whose country generates 90 per cent of electricity using atomic energy, said India needed to be brought into the international nuclear mainstream.

France is in "favour of India getting back to the international nuclear power agency. We have to create situation in terms of international law. We are waiting for that," he said.