India seeks Thailand's support for IAEA vote

Bangkok, Aug 1 (UNI) India has sought the support of Thailand, a member of the international nuclear watchdog IAEA's governing board, for the crucial vote today in Vienna on the draft Indian nuclear safeguards agreement.

Neelakantan Ravi, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs handed over a letter from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag at the Thai foreign ministry here.

Mr Ravi met the Thai foreign minister to 'brief and rally' for Thailand's support on the draft of the Safeguards Agreement, which the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will vote for consensus, the Thai foreign ministry said in a statement.

''India has placed an importance on the Safeguards Agreement as it is part of the procedures before the country concludes the Civil Nuclear Agreement with the United States,'' the statement added.

Thailand is a member of IAEA's 35-country Board of Governors.

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