India looks forward to working with world in civil N area: PM

Marseille, France, Sep 29 (UNI) India today said it looked to working with the European Union (EU) in the civilian nuclear area and the matter would come up during the bilateral Summit with French President Nicholas Sarkozy in Paris tomorrow.

''India seeks cooperation with all countries of the world relating to the promotion of civil nuclear energy,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at a joint press conference alongwith Mr Sarkozy and EC President Jose Manuel Borrosso after their ninth annual Sumit here.

Referring to the NSG waiver to India, the Prime Minister said the NSG had agreed to permit India to conduct global nuclear trade with other countries.

He said the matter was now with the US Congress.

Mr Sarkozy said he also had some hope (in the civil nuclear cooperation).

Describing India as a major power in the next 20 years, he said ''France trusts India, France trusts the Prime Minister. He has done a great work. We welcome this development. We should discuss this matter and take a decision,'' the French President said.

The two leaders will meet again at their bilateral Summit meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris tomorrow.

The Prime Minister, in his opening remarks at the press conference, said India and the EU had agreed to achieve an annual bilateral trade turnover of 100 billion Euros within the next five years and work towards the conclusion of the India-EU Broad-based trade and Investment Agreement by the end of 2009.

The two sides also reviewed the Joint Action Plan adopted in 2005 and agreed to add several new areas of cooperation like civil nuclear R and D including in fusion energy, solar energy andvocational training.

The two sides discussed issues related to counter-terrorism, including cooperation between EUROPOL and its counterpart organisations in India.

President Sarkozy said, in his opening statement, that the two sides were discussing how to quickly move towards a bilateral India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) .

He said the world needed India to fight climate change and for that clean energy was required.

They also stressed the need for an international financial structure which could prevent economic disasters like the recent melt down in the US and its impact on the world economy.

Mr Borrosso said they planned to conduct a global Summit of four European countries who are also members of the G-8, shortly to discuss a new international financial structure.

The Summit leaders also discussed the reforms of international structures like the UN.

UNI RB RP HS1920