EU appears supportive of Indo-US nuclear deal

New Delhi, Oct 9: Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Helsinki for the 7th India-EU Summit, the European Union today appeared supportive of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"We are carefully exploring the Indo-US nuclear deal from different angles...we fully understand India's interest in diversifying its nuclear supplies to meet its energy needs though the EU as a bloc has not taken a position so far on the accord," Finnish Ambassador to India Asko Numminen told reporters here.

Finland currently holds the Presidency of the European Union.

The Prime Minister, who left here today for Britain and Finland on a six-day visit, will be in Helsinki from October 11-14 on a bilateral visit to the European nation as well as to attend the India-EU Summit.

According to the Finnish envoy, the central aim of the Helsinki Summit was to strengthen strategic partnership between India and the European Union in line with the joint action plan adopted in September last year in New Delhi.

"The summit agenda includes trade policy issues, climate and energy issues and cooperation in the field of science and technology. Key international and regional issues, such as cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the situation in the Middle East, will also be discussed," he said.

Asked if the two sides would also discuss steps to counter international terrorism, Mr Fransisco da Camara Gomes, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in India, said the two sides clearly had mutual interest in fighting the menace.

The Finnish ambassador said India and the member countries of European Union were the victims of terrorism. "We have been cooperating at different levels in the fight against terrorism.

We also continue to cooperate on the issue at the UN," he added.

Mr Numminen said Prime Minister Singh would meet his Finnish counterpart Matti Vanhanen on October 12 during the bilateral segment of his visit to Finland. The two leaders would discuss bilateral ties, focusing on issues such as cooperation in the fields of trade, economy and information technology. They would also discuss relations between India and the EU and key international developments. Dr Singh would also meet Finnish President Tarja Halonen.

Dr Singh and the Finnish Prime Minister would also address the India-EU Business Summit on October 12 before the political summit the next day.

Asked if any bilateral agreements were to be signed between India and Finland at the bilateral level, the Finnish envoy said there was no signing ceremony on the cards but the two countries were negotiating certain key accords, like avoidance of double taxation agreement and pacts in the fields of trade and science and technology.

UNI

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