“India, France try to finalise accord on civil nuclear-cooperation”
“Ahead of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit here, India and France are finalising a framework agreement for civil nuclear cooperation. Paris has conveyed that New Delhi’s civil liability rules should be in conformity with international standards, according to sources. France is understood to have conveyed that India must ensure the legal security of French suppliers of nuclear equipment and its civil liability law should be in conformity with international standards. Sarkozy is expected to put across this message when he holds wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, sources said, adding discussions on a framework civil nuclear cooperation agreement are going on. If discussions are wrapped up by then, the framework agreement between the French nuclear giant Areva and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for building two European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) could be signed during Sarkozy’s visit, sources said. The framework agreement is expected to lay down broad rules for Areva initially building two nuclear reactors, which will eventually increase to six in number. France became the first country to sign a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact with India Sep 30, 2008, after the Nuclear Suppliers Group granted New Delhi a one-time exemption to resume global nuclear trade. .. The focus of the visit will be on taking strategic and economic ties between two countries to new heights. Besides reviewing bilateral ties, Manmohan Singh and Sarkozy are expected to discuss a host of global issues like reform of the international financial institutions, the G20 forum of major and emerging economies, climate change and non-proliferation”
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