Zeenews Bureau
Tokyo, July 08: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday morning met Chinese President Hu Jintao in Japan, where is due to attend the G8 meeting.
The talks assume significance as China has still not given any assurance on assisting India in obtaining IAEA's approval for the nuclear safeguards agreement or a clearance from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said that China is willing to support India on the nuclear deal with the US. He further stated that there was no formal invitation to India to join an extended G8.
During talks with Dr Singh, Hu condemned yesterday’s attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul and also expressed thanks to India for offering support and relief during the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province.
The Prime Minister is also due to meet US President George W Bush and other influential members of the NSG to seek their support for the civil nuclear co-operation with the US.
The PM, who struck the deal with Bush in July 2005 and has encountered strong opposition from the Left allies now threatening to withdraw support to the government, will undertake a two-hour early morning drive for his meeting with Bush in Toya, about 200 km from Sapporo, a place where all the G-8 leaders are staying.
The meeting is slated before 08:00 hours after which the Prime Minister will have a breakfast meeting with G-8 as part of the O-5 outreach countries summit with them. He will review the progress on the deal with President Bush.
Dr Singh may brief Bush on the recent political developments in which he has won new and crucial political support for the deal at home in the face of severe opposition from the Left and the possibility of overcoming problems in Parliament from the Left action.
The government's plans on approaching the IAEA for securing an India-specific safeguards agreement and moves for taking the matter to the NSG are expected to figure in the discussions with Bush.
The Prime Minister has pointed out that the US was committed once India takes the decision the US will have to fulfill its promises. It is a public commitment on their part, the Prime Minister said yesterday. He had also said the government would approach the IAEA "very soon" and once it takes the decision the process in this regard was expected to move "pretty fast".
First Published: Tuesday, July 08, 2008, 00:00