No common position on support to N-deal in NSG: EU

New Delhi, Nov 30: The European Union does not have a common position on supporting the Indo-US nuclear deal in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is united on the issue of guarantees for safety and wants India to sign the NPT.

Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who holds the Presidency of the EU, said at a press conference here today the EU understood India's quest for nuclear energy for development but was of the view that nuclear technology must be regulated.

He was addressing the press conference jointly with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and European Council President Jose Manuel Borroso after the conclusion of the Eighth India-EU Summit here.

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Mr Socrates said the EU member countries would sign a Treaty in Lisbon in December on having a common foreign policy for the 27-member EU.

''We understand and agree with the importance of nuclear energy for India's development...We (the EU) share the same points of view on international compromise on guarantees for safety,'' he said in reply to a question.

Dr Manmohan Singh said they had focussed on climate change and agreed to work together to reduce the carbon emissions.

He said negotiations were on the broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement between the two sides and hopefully, the agreement would be put in place by the next Summit.

To a question on whether the EU supports India's candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Mr Socrates said the EU was unanimous that the UN must be reformed but does not have a common position on the Security Council representation.

''UN reforms are very important and it must change to become more representative... but EU has no common position on future UNSC,'' he said.

''We have no common opinion on that, So I cannot day...'' he added.

UNI