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Russia for closer nuclear ties

Special Correspondent

Vyacheslav Trubnikov

NEW DELHI: Russian Ambassador Vyacheslav Trubnikov told journalists on Monday that Moscow was looking forward to expanded nuclear cooperation with New Delhi in Koodankulam and elsewhere. The Indian side had already started the work of levelling the site to make way for at least two and possibly four additional reactors, he said, adding that Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko would be visiting Mumbai and Koodankulam later this month for final talks with the Department of Atomic Energy.

Asked for Russia’s reaction to an American proposal to get the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to restrict future sales of enrichment and reprocessing equipment to India, Mr. Trubnikov said Moscow considered the NSG decision to allow nuclear sales to India to be “final.” The rest depends on whatever bilateral arrangements any country wants to have, he said. “As far as Russia is concerned, once we have decided to nuclear cooperation with India, this means full cooperation. We do not divide the nuclear field into different parts like some countries do.”

The price factor

On the controversy about the price of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that Russia is renovating for eventual sale to India, Mr. Trubnikov said this was a commercial matter which the two sides were trying to settle. “It is the intent of both of us to solve this problem in the interest of both sides. The final figure depends on what kind of system India wants installed and how much it is willing to pay,” he said. Phrases like “arm-twisting” should not be used because then some could argue that Russia’s arm had been twisted several years ago when it was weaker economically to force it to sell the ship at “too low a price,” Mr. Trubnikov added.

Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon too endorsed the Russian Ambassador’s observation about nuclear cooperation, while speaking at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

‘Excellent relationship’

“Both India and Russia are keen on expanding nuclear cooperation. All the preparatory work has been done,” the Foreign Secretary said while inaugurating an international conference on “Changing Patterns of Indo-Russian Cooperation.”

Saying that India and Russia already had an “excellent relationship” and very important, the Foreign Secretary noted that the bilateral trade, however, was not commensurate with the potential. “Trade still remains a challenge,” he said, adding “though it is positive, that is not enough.” Bilateral trade last year was around $5 billion.

Explaining the increasing importance of India-Russia relations in a developing multi-polar world, Mr. Menon pointed to the meeting of the Finance Ministers of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries before the G-20 summit which played an important role.

Saying India-Russia bilateral complementarities would only grow in the future, he believed BRIC countries could play an important role in combating the global economic slowdown.

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