PM meets Hu Jintao to support Indo-US N-deal

Sapporo (Japan), Jul 8: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived here on Monday, July 7 night to attend the G-8 summit, met the UN Secretary General to discuss various issues listed on the summit's agenda, including the climate change, which is on top.

Later, the Prime Minister held a 30-minute dialogue with Chinese President Hu Jintao, to seek his support for Indo-US nuclear deal in the Internatilonal Atomic Eneregy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Although the Prime Minister has not stated when India will go the Vienna-based nuclear watchdog for concluding the safeguards agreement, media reports said the IAEA board of governors are meeting on July 28 and the India's business is likely to be taken there.

Once India gets the agreement stitched up with the IAEA, the country's case will go to the nuclear suppliers group for waiver to enable the country get nuclear fuel supplies and high-end technology.

Later in the day, Dr Singh is also slated to hold bilaterals with Presidents of South Korea and Mexico besides participating in a meeting of the five Outreach countries, known as O-5.

Besides India, China and Mexico, Brazil and South Africa are members of the O-5.

UNI