France wants cooperation with India on civil nuclear energy

Sat, 04 Dec 2010

New Delhi - France was ready for limitless cooperation with India on civil nuclear energy, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Saturday, adding that it was time to end India's nuclear isolation.

Speaking before a gathering of scientists and officials in India's information technology hub Bangalore, Sarkozy said it was inconsistent to expect a developing country like India to adopt non-polluting technologies and yet restrict its access to nuclear energy.

Sarkozy is on a four-day visit to India and an agreement between French company Areva T&D SA and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India is expected to be signed during his visit.

Areva is slated to provide up to six reactors for a state-run nuclear power plant in the western state of Maharashtra.

Speaking to scientists at the Indian Space Research Organization's satellite center in Bangalore, Sarkozy said France was proud and eager to collaborate on new research with India in the space sector.

"Space adventures cannot be the monopoly of one or two states alone," Sarkozy said.

Sarkozy, accompanied by his celebrity wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, is scheduled to fly to the northern Indian town of Agra later Saturday on a private visit to see the Taj Mahal.

Sarkozy is expected to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi Monday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/356529,india-civil-nuclear-energy.html.