To bolster cooperation between India and the US on civilian nuclear issues, chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Richard A. Meserve will hold wide ranging discussions with key persons of India’s nuclear establishment during his week-long visit to the country starting Saturday.It is understood that Meserve would spend the better part of his visit — from February 25 to 27 — at Mumbai with the heads of India’s various atomic agencies. He is slated to meet chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar and chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board S.P Sukhatme at Mumbai.This visit is being viewed as a step forward in Indo-US cooperation in the nuclear field. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee had highlighted this as a key area of cooperation on the high technology issues during his visit to the US last September.An Indo-US high technology cooperation group too was set up earlier this month to improve exchange on dual use technology, civilian nuclear and space issues. While cooperation on a range of strategic issues, including transfer of military technology, has moved rapidly between the two countries, there are apprehensions that matters are moving slow on nuclear issues. This is understandable given the strong non-proliferation lobby in the US. During his visit here, Meserve would also be visiting BARC.
