Russia, India to talk nuke curbs, Taliban

The lifting of Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) curbs on nuclear cooperation with India and the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan would be on the agenda of talks between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in New Delhi tomorrow.

Denisov and Menon will represent their nations at the foreign minister-level consultations, a key component of strategic dialogue between India and Russia at various levels.

"Bilateral talks usually focus on a broad range of issues: from the crucial international problems, such as response to international terrorism, to the coordination of the working issues of bilateral cooperation in specific areas," Denisov said in an interview to ITAR-TASS ahead of his meeting with Menon.

Reminding that Russia is already building two light-water reactors for the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, Denisov said Moscow and New Delhi were seeking to enhance cooperation in building more nuclear power plants and in implementing other joint projects in the area of peaceful use of atomic energy. He, however, underscored that it would be done taking into account the international commitments of both the nations.

"This stance was firmly proclaimed in the joint statement by the Russian president and the Indian premier on cooperation in peaceful use of atomic energy, which was approved during Vladimir Putin's visit to India," Denisov said.

Russia has openly declared that it will back lifting of the NSG curbs against India for which the Indo-US nuclear deal would pave the way. The dramatic rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan is one of the key international issues on which the two nations are united in their concerns as this directly affects the security and stability in South and Central Asia where both India and Russia have vital long-term interests, diplomatic sources say.

"We are united by strategic interests and responsibility for international security and stability. This determines the intensive and frank nature of our political contacts, including those summit and high-level," Denisov underscored.

He said that a strategic partnership proclaimed by Russia and India was not just a political trend. "This is a real evidence of the common stance that the multi-polar world order has no alternative, and that the countries have a pragmatic approach to the implementation of their national interests," Denisov said.