Sweden assures India of 'positive approach' at NSG

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) Sweden, a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), today assured India of a ''positive approach'' on the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement when it comes before the 45-nation nuclear lobby for approval and said it was watching how the negotiations between New Delhi and Washington went on.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, currently on a week-long visit to India, held discussions with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee here today, and said nobody had a strong claim to the permanent seat at the UN Security Council as much as India had.

The External Affairs Minister briefed the Swedish Minister on India's desire to increase and diversify its sources of energy and a desire to move towards clean energy.

The Swedish Minister said his country was watching the negotiations between India and the US and would take a decision after that.

Appreciating India's concerns and needs for energy, he assured the External Affairs Minsiter of a positive approach at the NSG, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said.

Both Ministers expressed the desire to work jointly for multi-polarity and UN reforms.

Mr Bildt hoped there would be an opportunity for restructuring the UN Security Council. ''...as and when this happens, no other country will have as strong a claim as India does,'' he said Besides, the permanent candidature, both India and Sweden are up for elections in different years for non-permanent seats of the Security Council and discussed the matter.

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