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Journalism of Courage
India Thursday stressed the need to give diplomacy maximum possible scope to resolve the deadlock with Iran over its nuclear ambitions,even as it said Iran has the obligation not to court nuclear power as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Amid concern about Irans nuclear ambitions,especially in the backdrop of the failure of talks at Almaty,PM Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel touched upon the issue as part of a comprehensive dialogue between the two countries on a range of issues covering bilateral relations and their international engagement.
We have made it quite clear that we respect Irans right to use atomic energy for peaceful purposes. But being a signatory to the NPT,Iran also has the obligation not to court nuclear weapon power. We know it is a complicated matter. But it is also their wish and hope that diplomacy will be given maximum possible scope to resolve this intricate problem to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, he said.
Referring to her discussions with him over Iran,Merkel said India and Germany are in complete agreement over their objectives and concerns. This came in the backdrop of the failure of negotiations by P 51 permanent UNSC members and Germany at Almaty which had offered easing of sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programmes.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai dispelled suggestions that a drop in Indias crude oil imports from Iran was in related to the international sanctions against the country over its nuclear programme. Our oil import from Iran is a vital part of our energy security, he said stressing that reduction in the volume of oil imports from Iran was different from sanctions. Mathai said it was because of difficulty in logistics for purchasing that led to the decline in oil imports from Iran.
