MOSCOW, Jan 24 (UNI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has denied that the Indo-US nuclear deal will have a negative impact on energy cooperation with Russia.
"I have discussed this matter with President Vladimir Putin several times and I am very happy to report you that he is fully on board," Dr Singh told All Russia Television and Radio Company (VGTRK) and Interfax news agency in an interview ahead of his summit with the Russian leader on January 25-26 in New Delhi.
"He has told me that this cooperation is good for India and Russia is fully supporting India in the nuclear deal that we have done with the United States, " Dr Singh said, adding, "Russia will support India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group when this case comes up before it(the group)." "Russia and President Putin fully agree that we need this deal with the US to get rid of the nuclear restrictions, which have hampered India's energy development, particularly in the field of nuclear energy, for the last 35 years," Dr Singh stressed.
He also pointed out that Indo-Russian cooperation in the field of nuclear energy will expand in the coming years.
"Russian nuclear power technology is internationally competitive.
Since we have major plans to increase the share of nuclear power in our energy mix, there are concrete opportunities for cooperation in this area," he added.
Dr Singh said the strategic relationship between India and Russia was unique.
"There is no other parallel of two major players in the international arena having maintained such a steady and unbroken friendship over decades," he said.
He said while bilateral relations between other major powers have witnessed numerous upheavals, relations between India and Russia have 'weathered radical changes in the international system as well as political and socio-economic changes within the two countries' largely because Indo-Russian geo-political as well as national interests were compatible.
"This deep and durable understanding between India and Russia is manifest today in our shared thinking that international peace and stability can be better maintained in a multi-polar world," he stressed.
"India-Russia strategic partnership is a factor for promoting peace, security and stability not only within the region but also globally," Dr Singh said.
He said the rise of religious extremism and terrorism was a particular concern today as 'our neighbourhood' provided the biggest infrastructure for perpetrating terrorism, religious extremism and drug-trafficking the world over.
"We have, therefore, a profound interest in controlling these dangerous forces for the benefit of the international community, as well as for ensuring our internal security," he noted.
He highly praised Putin for his role in giving concrete meaning and content to the bilateral strategic partnership in a series of India-Russia annual summits since 2000.
"In him we have a very sincere friend of our country," Dr Singh said.
"This is the first time that a Russian leader has been invited to be the chief guest at the Republic Day function, and we are delighted that President Putin will be with us on this occasion," he said.
Putin supports India's permanent memebership in UNSC: Manmohan MOSCOW, Jan 24 (UNI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said Russia would continue to back India's candidacy for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
"We highly appreciate that Russia has publicly supported India's aspirations in this regard and look forward to continuing to receive its valuable support in future," Dr Singh said in an interview to the All Russia Television and Radio Company (VGTRK) and Interfax news agency ahead of his summit with President Vladimir Putin, on January 25-26 in New Delhi.
"I discussed this subject many times with President Putin and he has assured me that Russia, when the time comes, will be on the side of India," he said.
The Prime Minister said it was India's 'firm belief' that the reform and expansion of the UN Security Council, in both permanent and non-permanent categories, was central to the process of UN reform.
"We believe that comprehensive reform of the UN is essential to enable it to deal with the myriad challenges of today's world more effectively," he said, pointing out that as a founding member of the United Nations, India had 'consistently and significantly' contributed to all aspects of its functioning.
He stressed there was a widespread and growing feeling that the composition and functioning of the UN Security Council did not reflect contemporary reality as indeed the expanded membership of the United Nations.
"The representation of developing countries as permanent members of the Security Council is essential in this context," he said.
"It is in this framework that India has expressed interest in becoming a permanent member of the Security Council," Dr Singh added On the North Korean nuclear issue, the Prime Minister said India was 'deeply concerned' over the nuclear test conducted by Pyongyang in violation of its international commitments.
"This development has implicated for regional peace and security and highlights the dangers of clandestine proliferation, which has affected India's security as well," he said.
On Iran's controversial nuclear programme, Dr Singh said Iran as a signatory to the NPT was entitled to use peaceful nuclear energy.
"India's position is that Iran has a right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy consistent with its commitments and obligations," he said, adding, "At the same time, the international community has valid concerns, which must be addressed through diplomacy and dialogue and enhanced cooperation with the IAEA." Sri Lanka colludes in child abductions rights group NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters): Sri Lanka's government is colluding in the abduction of children as soldiers by militants seen as an ally in a raging civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, US-based rights group Human Rights Watch said today.
While the Sri Lankan government and renegades led by breakaway rebel commander Karuna deny working together, Human Rights Watch echoed United Nations allegations that the abductions would have needed cooperation.
"After years of condemning child recruitment by the Tamil Tigers, the government is now complicit in the same crimes," Jo Becker, Human Rights Watch child rights advocate, said in a statement to mark the release of a new 100-page report.
International aid workers say abductions by both the Karuna group and the mainstream Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been rife in the restive eastern district of Batticaloa amid a new chapter in the island's two-decade civil war.
Earlier this month UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called for an immediate investigation into reports some elements of the military were involved.
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