New Delhi: India will soon sign a civil
nuclear energy agreement with Canada, paving the way for
supply of uranium and cooperation in research, development,
waste management and radiation safety in atomic sector.
The pact on civil nuclear cooperation will be inked
during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh?s visit to Toronto for
the G-20 Summit from June 25 when he will meet his Canadian
counterpart Stephen Harper for a "substantive" bilateral
engagement.
Singh is also expected to meet other world leaders,
including US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu
Jintao, who will be attending the Summit.
Briefing reporters on the visit, Secretary (West) in
the External Affairs Ministry Vivek Katju said the bilateral
engagement will give a fresh impetus to the economic and
commercial cooperation between India and Canada in the areas
of Science and Technology, health, agriculture and culture.
He said a number of agreements and MoUs were under
active negotiations and are likely to be concluded and signed
during the visit. These included cooperation in civil nuclear
energy cooperation, social security, mining, higher education
and culture, he said.
Asked about Canada`s negative response to India`s
atomic tests in 1974, Katju said "we don`t look back, we look
to the future."
The nuclear pact would cover areas of research and
development in nuclear energy, nuclear waste management,
radiation safety and environment protection, he said.
Officials, however parried questions on whether the
agreement would allow setting up of Canadian reactors, saying
let the deal be first finalised.
PTI
