Pranab to question China for NSG red card

TALKING HEADS: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will be meeting Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.

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New Delhi: The Centre rolled out the red carpet for Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during his three-day India visit, but reports suggest some former diplomats want to take on Beijing for trying to scuttle India's nuclear dream.

Yang will be meeting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening as part of the regular exchange of consultations.

However, against the backdrop of China egging on skeptics in the Nuclear Supplies Group (NSG) meeting last weekend, reports suggest that Pranab will ask Yang why China behaved the way it did despite assurances to the contrary given by no less than President Hu Jintao.

Yang was earlier in Kolkata where he formally inaugurated the Chinese consulate. But he refused to comment on his country's role in the NSG.

“I think it is a good omen for our friendship and cooperation in the future. And I have come specifically on this occasion to open the Consulate General. This shows China's sincere desire to develop a good relationship with India. Foreign Minister (Pranab Mukherjee) is my good friend; I am looking forward to my meeting with him,” Yang told CNN-IBN in Kolkata.

China’s on non-proliferation regime

Commenting on the NSG waiver for India, China on Monday urged global cooperation to maintain the "integrity and validity of the international nuclear non-proliferation system".

"China always advocates that all countries are entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and carry out international cooperation in this regard. However, relevant cooperation should help maintain the integrity and validity of the international nuclear non-proliferation system," foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu told Chinese news agency Xinhua.

She said China has participated in NSG conferences with a responsible and constructive attitude.

The NSG, the regulatory body for global nuclear commerce, on September 6 adopted a resolution on civil nuclear cooperation with India, and decided to lift the 34-year old ban on nuclear trade with New Delhi.

"China hopes such decision would be conducive to the international cooperation on use of nuclear energy for peaceful purpose and prevention of nuclear proliferation," Jiang said.

(With agency inputs)