The Hindu : Front Page : “No objection to U.S. nuclear trade with India”

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Sunday, Nov 09, 2008
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“No objection to U.S. nuclear trade with India”

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE : Hitachi-General Electric(GE) Nuclear Energy, Ltd. will “have to follow the Japanese legal system and the intentions of the Japanese Government” in deciding upon a corporate deal with India to meet its electricity needs.

“No objection”

However, the Tokyo-based company will have “no objection” to a plan, if any, by GE-Hitachi in the United States to sell equipment or knowhow to India in the civil nuclear energy domain. Japan’s Hitachi is a “stakeholder” in the U.S. firm, GE-Hitachi.

These views were expressed by Fumio Murata, Technology Executive of the Tokyo-based company, in response to questions from The Hindu, on the sidelines of a ‘forum’ during the just-concluded International Energy Week here.

Mr. Murata is the Head of the International Cooperation Office at the Tokyo-based Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Vital issues

His answers address the important question whether Japanese firms, which have stakes in American enterprises, can prevent them from trading with India under its civil nuclear energy agreement with the U.S. The critical issue itself is driven by ‘pacifist’ Japan’s current disinclination to allow trade with India under the terms of the recent U.S.-piloted consensus in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

GE decides

Mr. Murata said: “Generally speaking, we [Hitachi-GE] will say our opinion [to] General Electric-Hitachi. But, finally, General Electric decides, because they are [in] majority [as stakeholder]. We cannot control, finally. Of course, we say our opinion.”

Special case

Asked whether Hitachi had already given its opinion to GE on India’s civil nuclear energy issue, he said, “I don’t know.” Will the Japan-based Hitachi-GE itself consider selling dual-use knowhow or civil nuclear technology to India? His answer: “Of course, our industry [will] have to follow the Japanese Government’s guidelines. So, we are watching. ... Hitachi-GE is a company of Japan. ... Generally speaking, we will go [along] with GE. But, in the case of India, this is a special case.”

Asked whether Hitachi-GE would prevent GE-Hitachi from entering into civil nuclear commerce with India, Mr. Murata said: “No. There is no programme. GE is a company in the United States, So, GE can go to India [by] itself.”

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