European Parliament wants India to sign NPT

10-06-2006, 17:54 PM

NEW DELHI: The European Parliament supports India's quest for civilian nuclear energy, but wants it to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to speed up international civilian nuclear cooperation, says Josep Borrell Fontelles, the president of the European Parliament.

"The European Parliament expects India to sign the NPT. It will help a lot to establish international civilian nuclear cooperation with India," Fontelles, who is visiting India to promote a dialogue between India and the 25-nation European Union (EU), said in an interview.

"We support India's growing need for civilian nuclear energy. But Europe is very worried about Iran and the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology," added Fontelles, who is heading a five-member delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs).

Fontelles, a Spanish politician who sits with the Party of European Socialists group in the European Parliament, is visiting India ahead of the 6th summit between India and the EU to be held in Helsinki later this month.

The European Parliament, which produces half of the legislation that affects lives of citizens across Europe, is becoming an increasingly important player in the EU.

Fontelles' views reflect the continuing ambivalence among European countries towards civilian nuclear energy cooperation with India.

Britain and France have come out strongly in support of the India-US civilian nuclear deal but are waiting for the final US legislation that will lift decades-old ban on transfer of civilian nuclear technology and equipment to India. Germany has lately shown signs of softening on the India-US nuclear deal and has indicated that it may support India in the powerful Nuclear Suppliers Group.

But the Nordic countries, including Finland, which holds the current rotating presidency of the EU, have expressed their anxieties about countries like India that are seeking global civilian nuclear commerce without signing the NPT.

Hailing India's emergence as an important global player and its role in crafting a new international order, the Spanish politician forcefully expressed unequivocal support of the European Parliament for India's claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

"We strongly support India's claim for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. We think such a big democracy can play an important role in creating a multilateral world," the 59-year-old leader said.

"We can't imagine a new world order without India. We need a multi-polar world. You need several poles to firm up the new world order and India is one of them," he underlined.

A firm believer in cross-cultural dialogue and popular contacts among different nationalities, Fontelles made a strong pitch for enhanced interaction among parliamentarians of India and the EU.

"Parliaments can play an important role in promoting understanding and deepening strategic partnership between India and the EU. More cooperation between parliaments will strengthen relations between people of the two sides," he said.

The India-EU summit, scheduled for Helsinki Oct 13, will give a new impetus and substance to strategic partnership and accelerate economic and trade ties between the two sides, Fontelles stressed.

Relations between India and the EU, encompassing diverse areas including energy, trade, science and technology, have been growing ever since the strategic partnership was launched at the India-EU summit in The Hague two years ago.

The EU continues to be India's largest trading partner. Trade between the EU and India was estimated to be over $35 billion in 2004.

His first passage to India, that included trips to Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, was replete with illuminations and discoveries.

"A first glance at India is very impressive. It is the world's largest democracy and a model of multi-cultural, multi-lingual society. India is one of the most important powers in IT and one can see a new energy and confidence everywhere," he said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1057032

geez.. what these small nations r upto? when france and UK dont have a problem i dont see india is going to sign NPT at all.
infact being sorrounded by fanatics "Iran/Pakistan/Bangladesh/China" IMHO no way india shud sign NPT.

guys do u think india will ever sign NPT?

Tronic · 10-06-2006, 18:01 PM

We don't have to listen to them...

Grim Reaper · 10-06-2006, 18:02 PM

I hope India never signs it, any countries with problems about it will just have to deal with it.

kams · 10-06-2006, 20:26 PM

Quote:

"The European Parliament expects India to sign the NPT. It will help a lot to establish international civilian nuclear cooperation with India," Fontelles, who is visiting India to promote a dialogue between India and the 25-nation European Union (EU), said in an interview.

"We support India's growing need for civilian nuclear energy. But Europe is very worried about Iran and the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology," added Fontelles, who is heading a five-member delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs).

LOL

Iran, North Korea, Libya....all signatories of NPT..he wants India to join the club?

starsiege · 10-06-2006, 22:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kams

LOL

Iran, North Korea, Libya....all signatories of NPT..he wants India to join the club?

LOL the Eu is pathetic , seriously!

its soo funny..france and england, members of EU can have nukes but india cant! wow!
did they really think they would be taken seriously?

lemontree · 10-07-2006, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

What is wrong in signing the NPT? Its not as if we have intentions of supplying nuclear technology to rogue countries.

10-07-2006, 01:49 AM

geez lemontree NPT will prohibit us form having ICBM.
NPT is kinda like more bad than CTBT.

NO WAY INDIA SHOULD SIGN THAT.are we gonna be puppets on someones hand?

veera8 · 10-07-2006, 02:36 AM

NPT is a tool designed by yanks to maintan their superioty through having nuclear weapons and prohibiting others from obtaining it .....

EU before it advices others why not persuade other countries US,russia who have stockpiled nukes enough to destroy world many times to reduce their arsenal .......

oopppps i forget israel --the brain child of EU ,let them first sign NPT ,then ask for INDIA ....

we are least bothered abt what EU parliment says abt NPT ....

santosh tiwari · 10-07-2006, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kams

LOL

Iran, North Korea, Libya....all signatories of NPT..he wants India to join the club?

NPT is no agreement of any civilization or any condition of being a good country. NPT was proposed by P-5s, WW2 winners, to the rest of the world. they said this is good if P-5s (US, Russia, China, UK and France) keep the nukes but not rest of the world. and it was upto the rest of world whether they wish to sign it or not. whole world thought it good for them (including Iran, N Korea and Lybia) so they signed it, except India, Israel and Pakistan. India thought it is not good for it to accept dominance of WW2 winners so it didnt signed. and as Israel was closed to US so it didnt has to. and Pakistan said if India will sign we will also sign.

no country of the world have any right to question on nuclear holding of India, Israel or even Pakistan. NPT is not applicable on these three countries, as they never accepted it. while position of india is far better than P-5. india has proposed these three in UN which was not accepted by P-5:

1. no first use of nuclear bombs against any country.
2. no use of nukes against any non nuke country.
3. an agreement to remove nuclear bombs from whole world gradually.

these three proposals were not accepted by P-5 so finally I Gandhi had to do N test in 1974 and declared india a nuke power. and then India said if any country will use nuclear bombs against india, india will also do the same with that particular country. and at the same time, india has promised "no first use of nukes" against any country and "no use of nukes" against non nuke country. while P-5 still says they may even "first use" N bombs against any country. india certainly doesn’t need any advise on her nuclear holding from those who threatens other countries by N bombs.

Srirangan · 10-07-2006, 11:47 AM

Indian Parliament wants Europe to fu*k itself. Oh wait, it is already happening!

Srirangan · 10-07-2006, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemontree

What is wrong in signing the NPT? Its not as if we have intentions of supplying nuclear technology to rogue countries.

Sure, let us sign it once India is made a part of an future P-6.. Till then.. eh!

**Officer of Engineers** · 10-07-2006, 11:53 AM

You guys really don't see it. Goto the UN, declare yourself a nuclear power (ie, the N5 becomes the N6 which btw is completely different from the P5) as a condition to signing both the NPT and the CTTB. Hell, the backstrokes India did for the US nuclear deal, you might as well sign both documents and the missile treaty as well.

santosh tiwari · 10-07-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Virtually all responsible nations agree that the elimination of nuclear weapons is essential. However, there is no unanimity about how this can best be accomplished.

India shares with most other nations the conviction that every effort should be made to eliminate the world's store of nuclear weapons, and it has demonstrated its commitment to this conviction in a variety of ways.

It was India that first proposed an end to nuclear testing in 1954. "The principles for a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) were first proposed by India in 1965. India eventually refused to sign the NPT when it became clear that, instead of addressing the central objective of universal and comprehensive non-proliferation, the treaty only legitimized the continuing possession and multiplication of nuclear stockpiles by those few states possessing them.

Again, it was India that proposed in 1982 a convention to ban nuclear weapons, including a ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.

Finally, it was India that put forward a comprehensive action plan for a nuclear-free world within a specific time-frame at the third United Nations Special Session on Disarmament, in 1988.

In a speech before the United Nations, Rajiv Gandhi, then India's Prime Minister, argued "We cannot accept the logic that a few nations have the right to pursue their security by threatening the survival of mankind...nor is it acceptable that those who possess nuclear weapons are freed of all controls while those without nuclear weapons are policed against their production. History is full of such prejudices paraded as iron laws: That men are superior to women; that white races are superior to the coloured; that colonialism is a civilizing mission; (and) that those who possess nuclear weapons are responsible powers and those who do not are not."

India's nuclear program is indigenous and entirely peaceful. In 1974, India carried out a peaceful nuclear explosion in the Rajasthan desert. It has neither carried out any test since, nor used its proven nuclear capability to advance a nuclear weapons program. As a responsible nation, it has never passed on this technology to another country.

In India's view, the fact that the NPT has now been extended permanently makes immutable a dangerous state of affairs. The treaty permanently legitimizes the continued possession by nuclear weapon states of stockpiles that can destroy the world many thousands of times over. It does so without any binding commitment from these nations to strive for the goal in which India and others share - the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

India's approach to the current nuclear debates is a product of both history and geography. Since gaining its independence from Great Britain in 1947, India has been attacked four times by its neighbours - three times by Pakistan and once by China. China has possessed nuclear weapons for over 30 years, and it is now widely acknowledged that Pakistan possesses a nuclear weapons capability. Indeed, under the Pressler Amendment, the U.S. was forced to cut off economic and military aid to Pakistan since the U.S. President was unable to certify that Pakistan did not possess nuclear weapons.

In 1994, Pakistan not only was involved in international plutonium-smuggling but it also received from China, with which it has an ongoing military relationship, long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The U.S. press has widely reported on hard evidence that Pakistan has obtained ring magnets, an item used for producing weapons-grade uranium, from China.

Indian Initiatives Towards Pakistan

India has proposed to Pakistan that an existing agreement not to bomb each other's nuclear installations be extended to population centres and economic targets. At the same time, India has proposed to Pakistan that the two countries agree not to use or to be the first to use their nuclear capabilities against each other. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not responded to either initiative by India.

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

As the first nation in the world to call for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, India supported the idea behind the CTBT, but in discussions in the Conference on Disarmament, it also wanted to ensure that the CTBT did not legitimize existing nuclear arsenals as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty does.

India's then Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, in a joint statement with the President of the United States, Bill Clinton, stated on May, 1994, that they both supported efforts towards "non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and towards their progressive reduction with the goal of elimination of such weapons."

Our policy on the CTBT was succinctly and clearly restated by India's External Affairs Minister at the U.N. General Assembly on 29 September, 1995:

"Two years ago, the international community at last agreed to negotiate a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We are glad that negotiations are in progress, but we also note that nuclear weapon states have agreed to a CTBT only after acquiring the know-how to develop and refine their arsenals without the need for tests. In our view, the CTBT must be an integral step in the process of nuclear disarmament. Developing new warheads or refining existing ones after a CTBT is in place, using innovative technologies, would be as contrary to the spirit of CTBT as the NPT is to the spirit of non-proliferation. The CTBT must contain a binding commitment on the international community, especially the nuclear weapon states, to take further measures within an agreed time-frame towards the creation of a nuclear weapons-free world."

India's fundamental concerns is that it does not want a "Nuclear Test Explosion Ban Treaty", which would merely allow the continuing expansion and refinement of existing nuclear arsenals through sophisticated laboratory techniques, but a genuine Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty without any loopholes. India holds that mere expression of intent have not been enough to make the nuclear-weapon states come to the negotiating table, and that the treaty should, therefore, clearly include a time-bound framework for total nuclear disarmament.

The CTBT, as it emerged at the Conference on Disarmament, ignored all of India's concerns. India had no alternative but to stay out of that treaty, including opposing it in the UN General Assembly when the CTBT was sought to be legitimized through that forum through questionable legal sleight-of-hand.

There is significant support emerging now for India's stand from the quarters who are most knowledgeable on this subject. Retired Air Force General, Lee Butler, Commander-in-Chief of America's strategic nuclear forces from 1991 to 1994 and the man in charge of America's nuclear weapons during this time, recently stated: "My experience as commander of America's strategic nuclear forces has pushed me to another conclusion: that a world free of the threat of nuclear weapons is necessarily a world devoid of nuclear weapons." He added: "Every President of the United States since Dwight Eisenhower has publicly endorsed elimination."

The "Canberra (Australia) Group" of experts also issued a statement that nuclear weapons can and should be eliminated. Long time nuclear disarmament proponent, former Prime Minister David Lange of New Zealand termed the CTBT, as it was being negotiated, as "hypocritical" and added that "the Indians have it right."

For further information, contact Minister (Political)
Embassy of India 2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington DC 20008 (202) 939-7000

http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/...liferation.htm

Srirangan · 10-07-2006, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Hell, the backstrokes India did for the US nuclear deal

Please pour in some insight/explanation sir, thanks.

10-07-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

You guys really don't see it. Goto the UN, declare yourself a nuclear power (ie, the N5 becomes the N6 which btw is completely different from the P5) as a condition to signing both the NPT and the CTTB. Hell, the backstrokes India did for the US nuclear deal, you might as well sign both documents and the missile treaty as well.

We dont have to declare anything sir, do you think india will crumble for some fuel and civilian tech to sign CTBT and NPT sir? iam quite sure its not going to happen.
i can give you proofs on what prime minister said to clear it in the parliament each question faced by opposition and the commies.

even if US gives us the civilian tech and refrains us from testing any nukes that will be solely based on diplomacy and not by any law.

the day we'll feel threatened by any countries we wont refrain doing something we dont want to do.this is the power of democracy where the army and peoples views are the same.

but seriously we dont want to develope any serious ICBM and stuffs.. for now.

what we did in the civilian nuke tech is put some undersafeguards.
we have no hurry to produce 100+ nukes per year so 5 to 10 nukes is enough, so if producing less number of nukes clears our energy problem why shudnt we?

10-06-2006, 17:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
joey2 Guest Posts: n/a	European Parliament wants India to sign NPT NEW DELHI: The European Parliament supports India's quest for civilian nuclear energy, but wants it to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to speed up international civilian nuclear cooperation, says Josep Borrell Fontelles, the president of the European Parliament. "The European Parliament expects India to sign the NPT. It will help a lot to establish international civilian nuclear cooperation with India," Fontelles, who is visiting India to promote a dialogue between India and the 25-nation European Union (EU), said in an interview. "We support India's growing need for civilian nuclear energy. But Europe is very worried about Iran and the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology," added Fontelles, who is heading a five-member delegation of Members of European Parliament (MEPs). Fontelles, a Spanish politician who sits with the Party of European Socialists group in the European Parliament, is visiting India ahead of the 6th summit between India and the EU to be held in Helsinki later this month. The European Parliament, which produces half of the legislation that affects lives of citizens across Europe, is becoming an increasingly important player in the EU. Fontelles' views reflect the continuing ambivalence among European countries towards civilian nuclear energy cooperation with India. Britain and France have come out strongly in support of the India-US civilian nuclear deal but are waiting for the final US legislation that will lift decades-old ban on transfer of civilian nuclear technology and equipment to India. Germany has lately shown signs of softening on the India-US nuclear deal and has indicated that it may support India in the powerful Nuclear Suppliers Group. But the Nordic countries, including Finland, which holds the current rotating presidency of the EU, have expressed their anxieties about countries like India that are seeking global civilian nuclear commerce without signing the NPT. Hailing India's emergence as an important global player and its role in crafting a new international order, the Spanish politician forcefully expressed unequivocal support of the European Parliament for India's claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. "We strongly support India's claim for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. We think such a big democracy can play an important role in creating a multilateral world," the 59-year-old leader said. "We can't imagine a new world order without India. We need a multi-polar world. You need several poles to firm up the new world order and India is one of them," he underlined. A firm believer in cross-cultural dialogue and popular contacts among different nationalities, Fontelles made a strong pitch for enhanced interaction among parliamentarians of India and the EU. "Parliaments can play an important role in promoting understanding and deepening strategic partnership between India and the EU. More cooperation between parliaments will strengthen relations between people of the two sides," he said. The India-EU summit, scheduled for Helsinki Oct 13, will give a new impetus and substance to strategic partnership and accelerate economic and trade ties between the two sides, Fontelles stressed. Relations between India and the EU, encompassing diverse areas including energy, trade, science and technology, have been growing ever since the strategic partnership was launched at the India-EU summit in The Hague two years ago. The EU continues to be India's largest trading partner. Trade between the EU and India was estimated to be over $35 billion in 2004. His first passage to India, that included trips to Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, was replete with illuminations and discoveries. "A first glance at India is very impressive. It is the world's largest democracy and a model of multi-cultural, multi-lingual society. India is one of the most important powers in IT and one can see a new energy and confidence everywhere," he said. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1057032 geez.. what these small nations r upto? when france and UK dont have a problem i dont see india is going to sign NPT at all. infact being sorrounded by fanatics "Iran/Pakistan/Bangladesh/China" IMHO no way india shud sign NPT. guys do u think india will ever sign NPT?

10-06-2006, 18:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tronic Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 12-27-04 Location: Patiala, India Posts: 5,447 Country:	We don't have to listen to them... __________________ *Nabha Sparasham Deeptam* *-Touch The Sky With Glory*

10-07-2006, 11:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers *Military Professional* Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 17,112 Country:	You guys really don't see it. Goto the UN, declare yourself a nuclear power (ie, the N5 becomes the N6 which btw is completely different from the P5) as a condition to signing both the NPT and the CTTB. Hell, the backstrokes India did for the US nuclear deal, you might as well sign both documents and the missile treaty as well. __________________ Chimo

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10-06-2006, 18:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Grim Reaper Regular Join Date: 02-11-06 Posts: 119 Country:	I hope India never signs it, any countries with problems about it will just have to deal with it.

10-07-2006, 01:49 AM	#7 (permalink)
joey2 Guest Posts: n/a	geez lemontree NPT will prohibit us form having ICBM. NPT is kinda like more bad than CTBT. NO WAY INDIA SHOULD SIGN THAT.are we gonna be puppets on someones hand?

10-07-2006, 02:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
veera8 Patron Join Date: 05-31-06 Posts: 226 Country:	NPT is a tool designed by yanks to maintan their superioty through having nuclear weapons and prohibiting others from obtaining it ..... EU before it advices others why not persuade other countries US,russia who have stockpiled nukes enough to destroy world many times to reduce their arsenal ....... oopppps i forget israel --the brain child of EU ,let them first sign NPT ,then ask for INDIA .... we are least bothered abt what EU parliment says abt NPT ....

10-07-2006, 11:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
Srirangan *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-06-04 Location: New Delhi Posts: 3,030 Country:	Indian Parliament wants Europe to fu*k itself. Oh wait, it is already happening!

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