As Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar opened talks with International Atomic Energy Agency director general Mohammed ElBaradei in Vienna for an India-specific safeguards agreement to operationalise the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao today made clear that his country was “forthcoming and supportive” of international civil nuclear energy cooperation with India.Beijing’s views on the international civil nuclear cooperation were conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Wen Jiabao as the two leaders discussed opportunities that existed in furthering cooperation in regional and multilateral fora on global issues such as climate change and energy security.“Premier Wen was forthcoming and supportive of international civil nuclear energy cooperation with India,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said after the two leaders had a 30-minute meeting on the margins of the East Asia Summit.Wen’s remarks came as India began talks with the UN atomic watchdog on the safeguards pact to operationalise the deal which requires the green signal from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) of which China is a key member.Singh, in his second meeting with Wen this year, said India attached great importance to its partnership with China and is resolved to ensuring the comprehensive development of bilateral relations for mutual benefit and on the basis of mutual sensitivity to each others’ concerns.Both leaders expressed their readiness to see a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable” solution to the boundary question and expressed satisfaction at the progress that is being made by the two Special Representatives in this regard.On Tuesday, Singh was guardedly optimistic about Chinese support for the deal. Responding to a query on China’s support at the NSG, Singh, who is expected to visit Beijing early next year, said: “Well, I think the Chinese have not said that they would not support us.”
