PM offers world global nuke centre

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Washington, April 13: They crossed, they met and they shook hands. After the most awaited gesture in the crowd of world leaders meeting in the US capital for the Nuclear Security Summit. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani, smiled and
posed for cameramen at the reception hosted by US President Barack Obama at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre on Monday.
The leaders reportedly “exchanged pleasantries” in their first encounter since the July 2009 interaction on the sidelines of the NAM Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Later, responding to the US President’s stern warning to take action against those involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Mr Gilani, according to reports here, consented to swing into action. However, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was quoted in the media here as saying that “India needs to look beyond Mumbai”.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Singh expressed concern at the activities and developments on India’s doorstep. Speaking at the Nuclear Security Summit, the Prime Minister expressed “deep regret that the global non-proliferation regime has failed to prevent nuclear proliferation”. “Clandestine proliferation networks flourished and led to insecurity for all, including and especially India,” he said. He added: “We must learn from out past mistakes and institute effective measures to prevent their recurrence.”
Dr Singh said the “ primary responsibility for ensuring nuclear security rests at the national level, but national responsibility must be accompanied by responsible behaviour by states. If not, it remains an empty slogan.” He urged the world to “join hands to eliminate the risk of sensitive and valuable materials and technologies falling into the hands of terrorists and illicit traffickers”.
The Prime Minister, addressing the international community at the Nuclear Security Summit, said India plans to set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership. “I am happy to announce on this occasion that we have decided to set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership in India... The centre will conduct research and development of design systems that are intrinsically safe, secure, proliferation-resistant and sustainable. We would welcome participation in this venture by your countries, the IAEA and the world to make this centre’s work a success.” President Obama welcomed the move and said this “will be one more tool to establish best practices in our quest for nuclear safety”.
On the threat of nuclear proliferation, the PM said, “There should be zero tolerance for individuals and groups which engage in illegal trafficking in nuclear items.” It may be recalled here that Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s atomic bomb, had  confessed in 2004 to sharing atomic secrets with Iran, Libya and North Korea, though he later retracted his remarks.
All eyes will also be on Chinese President Hu Jintao’s speech at the summit since Beijing often plays a conflicting role in the nuclear arena. While enjoying the privileges of being in the exclusive club of five official nuclear weapon states, China is often accused of taking a completely different stand on critical issues concerning the nuclear ambitions of certain countries, including Pakistan.
Prime Minister Singh also told the international community that the “danger of nuclear terrorism makes the early elimination of nuclear weapons a matter of even greater urgency”.
Dr Singh reminded the world that India has “maintained an impeccable non-proliferation record of which we are proud” and as a “responsible nuclear power India has not and will not be the source of proliferation of sensitive technologies. We have a well-established and effective export control system which has worked without fail for over six decades.”
He pointed out that the “danger of nuclear explosives or fissile material and technical know-how falling into the hands of non-state actors continues to haunt our world. India is deeply concerned about the danger it faces, as do other states, from this threat.”
The PM said India has “strengthened this system by harmonisation of our guidelines and lists with those of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime. Our commitment to not transfer nuclear weapons or related materials and technologies to non-nuclear weapon states or non-state actors is enshrined in domestic law through the enactment of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Act.” He observed that India stood “committed not to transfer reprocessing and enrichment technologies and equipment to countries that do not possess them.”
The PM added, “We have ambitious plans for using nuclear energy to meet our growing energy needs. Our target is to increase our installed capacity more than seven-fold to 35,000 MWe by 2022, and to 60,000 MWe by 2032.” He said the Indian “nuclear industry’s safety record over the last few years has been encouraging. It has helped to restore public faith in nuclear power.”
Dr Singh said India “supported the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540 and the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.”
The PM said that starting with “Jawaharlal Nehru over five decades ago, India has been in the forefront of the call for global and complete nuclear disarmament” and that “former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had put forward a concrete action plan in 1988 for the universal and non-discriminatory elimination of nuclear weapons leading to global nuclear disarmament in a time-bound framework”.
“We are encouraged by the Nuclear Posture Review announced by President Obama. India supports the universalisation of the policy of no first use. The salience of nuclear weapons in national defence and security doctrines must be reduced as a matter of priority.”
He also spoke of India’s three-stage nuclear power programme which began 60 years ago and is based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle. “A direct benefit of this is that it ensures control over nuclear material that is generated as spent fuel. At the same time, we are continually upgrading technology to develop nuclear systems that are intrinsically safe, secure and proliferation-resistant. We have recently developed an advanced heavy water reactor based on low enriched uranium and thorium with new safety and proliferation-resistant features,” the PM said in his address.

Sanjay Basak