New Delhi: The crucial talks for finalising a
pact on the arrangements and procedures for reprocessing
US-origin spent fuel have ended without any significant
progress, sources said here.
A team of US officials, led by Richard Stratford,
Director, Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs in the US State
Department held discussions with their Indian counterparts led
by R B Grover, Director, Strategic Planning Group in the
Department of Atomic Energy late last week.
DAE officials said that no significant progress was made
during the talks and further talks could be held when Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh visits the US for the Nuclear Security
Summit next month.
It is understood that the talks are expected to conclude
only after the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty Review
Conference scheduled for May.
The talks were understood to have revolved around issues
like setting up of a dedicated facility to reprocess nuclear
fuel sourced from global vendors, its security and suspension
of reprocessing in certain circumstances.
Once the talks are clinched, it would allow India to
reprocess US-origin spent fuel for its civilian programme and
will serve as a template for similar pacts with other nations.
PTI
