South Africa ready to supply uranium to India

NEW DELHI: South Africa today expressed readiness to supply uranium to India after the Nuclear Suppliers Group adjusted its guidelines to enable New Delhi's participation in international nuclear trade.

"We have absolutely no difficulty or objections to selling uranium to India ... that we will do without any difficulty," South African President Kgalema Motlanthe told reporters after a summit meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The leaders welcomed the consensus decision of the IAEA Board of Governors to approve the India-specific Safeguards Agreement and the decision by the Nuclear Suppliers Group to adjust its guidelines to enable full civil nuclear cooperation between India and the international community, said the Delhi Declaration adopted after the IBSA summit.

Motlanthe noted that South Africa had supported India's efforts in the negotiations with the US for full civil nuclear cooperation.

Brazil President da Silva did not comment on a question on sale of uranium to India.

The three leaders agreed that international civil nuclear cooperation, under appropriate IAEA safeguards, amongst countries committed to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation objectives, and could be enhanced through acceptable forward-looking approaches, consistent with their respective national and international obligations.

They also reiterated the importance of ensuring that any multilateral decisions related to the nuclear fuel cycle do not undermine the inalienable right of states to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with their international legal obligations.