Sarkozy back in India for N-business, and Taj
French President Nicolas Sarkozy commenced his four-day tour from Bengaluru by joining the growing line of world leaders who have pledged support for India’s bid to secure a permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat and its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Later on Saturday he found the opportunity to take his wife, Ms Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, to see the Taj Mahal in Agra. He had been unable to do so the last time as due to protocol reasons Ms Bruni-Sarkozy, not his wife at that time, had been unable to accompany him to India and he had to view the monument to love alone.
A permanent UNSC seat would help India “assume its full role within the G-20,” Mr Sarkozy said here on Saturday at Isro’s Satellite Centre. He said it was “unthinkable” to keep a country of over one billion out of the UNSC. Mr Sarkozy said it made sense for the country to participate in the work of multilateral bodies responsible for drafting and ensuring compliance with the non-proliferation regime. Such a pledge, however, was laced with France’s bid for nuclear energy contracts, including one for construction of six plants to produce 10,000 MW at Jaitapur, Maharashtra.
“Nuclear energy will now be the focus of our cooperation. We all know how critical it is for India to ensure its energy security. India and France share the belief that nuclear energy can provide an unparalleled response to this challenge ... It will expand production from 4,000 to 62,000 MW in 20 years. This is more than a change of scale, it’s a change of attitude, and I am proud that France is supporting India in this historic process,” Mr Sarkozy said.
[However, he noted, there was a certain “inconsistency” in India’s approach as while it wanted development of clean energy on one hand, it was at the same time “restricting access”, PTI reports. “We cannot force upon India obligations without giving it the means to meet the obligations,” he said. Condemning the 26/11 attacks, he said, “When India is attacked, it is democracy attacked.” He observed that terrorism emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan is a “major source of instability”. On Afghanistan, he praised India’s role and said, “We cannot afford to allow the Taliban to come back.”]
The French President, heading a team of seven ministers and around 60 chief executives, including the heads of aircraft-makers Dassault Aviation and EADS, and Areva SA, the world’s biggest builder of nuclear plants, will lobby for big-ticket deals.
Mr Sarkozy said India’s election to the UNSC for a two-year term would give the world an opportunity to consult her on various crises. “It must serve as the prelude to permanent Indian presence within the UNSC,” he said, adding, “It must be expanded to include new permanent members: India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, and representation from Africa... What is at stake here is the UN’s ability to respond to 21st century crises using 21st century instruments. It is a matter of realism and, quite simply, effectiveness.”
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