NEW DELHI, 25 September 2006 — Expressing South Africa’s willingness to cooperate with India in the use of nuclear power for civilian use, South African High Commissioner Francis Moloi told a news agency: “Our view is that all countries have the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. There are advantages in the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Certainly, this is an area that provides opportunity for us to cooperate. I don’t see any obstacles.” Asserting that South Africa has no proliferation concerns on India tapping nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, he said, “India has an excellent track record in terms of non-proliferation which cannot be doubted.”
With South Africa possessing “huge uranium deposits” and India having advanced technology in the use of civil nuclear energy, the cooperation would be beneficial, Moloi said. To begin this cooperation, Moloi said experts have to work on details.
Hinting that South Africa would support the Indo-US civil nuclear deal at NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group), Moloi said: “We can’t change the rules of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) for the world but between friends, you can be sure that issues will be looked at like friends.”
However, Moloi did not elaborate on whether South Africa will wait for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal to go through the legislative process in the United States. Questioned on whether South Africa would go ahead with nuclear cooperation with India irrespective of the Indo-US nuclear deal, he said there was “need for cooperation between the two countries (India and South Africa) which have excellent relations.”
During his visit to South Africa beginning Sept. 30, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold talks with President Thabo Mbeki on enhancing cooperation between the two countries in different fields. Aimed at consolidating their political and economic ties, Manmohan’s visit takes place within two weeks of the trip to India by South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka that saw the two nations pledge to raise bilateral trade to $12 billion by 2010. Manmohan will also participate in centenary celebrations of the launch of satyagraha (non-cooperation) by Mahatma Gandhi.
Strongly defending the decision taken by India and Pakistan to set up a joint mechanism to tackle terrorism, Manmohan said yesterday: “There has been trust deficit in our relations with Pakistan. But we cannot stand still. I sincerely believe that our two countries have to find ways and means to get over the problems that include terrorism.”
Addressing a news conference in Nainital at the conclusion of a meeting of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states, Manmohan said the decision to set up the joint mechanism will “test” Pakistan on how it fulfils its promise of not allowing territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. The decision was taken during talks held between him and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Havana on the sidelines of the Nonaligned summit.
While several experts have raised questions over the practicality of this mechanism, senior politicians including former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee have criticized it. Vajpayee has labeled it as a “conspiracy” against the country.
Dismissing such criticism, Manmohan said: “The criticism against setting up of the joint mechanism is not right. There is no change in our approach on terrorism.”
