Dutch backing for N-deal; bid to boost bilateral ties

NEW DELHI: The Netherlands, shedding its initial reservations, has decided to provide full backing to India���s ambition of using nuclear energy to power its economic growth. The move comes as a relief to India in the backdrop of the reluctance of several countries to supply nuclear fuel to India despite last week���s green signal from the nuclear suppliers group (NSG).

Mr Bob Hiensch, the Dutch ambassador in New Delhi, said the apprehensions of the Netherlands government have been addressed by India���s statement supporting non-proliferation. The European nation���s view is of significance since some countries like China were not keen to support transfer of nuclear technology to India and the 123 agreement on India-US civil nuclear cooperation awaits approval of the US Congress.

The Dutch envoy welcomed the NSG���s decision to include India in the elite nuclear group and cleared doubts over support to New Delhi on this issue. External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee���s statement last week about non-proliferation clinched the issue, he said. "I had spoken to the Dutch prime minister and foreign minister asking them to accept this (the statement) as a political commitment of India," Mr Hiensch said here on Wednesday.

The Netherlands ambassador was speaking at a function to announce the Amsterdam India Festival, scheduled to run for three weeks from November 12 to showcase India. The programme will feature over 100 performances by noted Indian performers in about 30 Amsterdam-based art institutions under the theme ���blended cultures���.

Terming the three-week programme as a celebration of ���new��� interaction in the fields of art, culture, society and trade, Mr Hiensch said it could bring people of the two countries closer. This programme will show our country the enormous potential of India and in bring India closer to the people and businesses of the Netherlands, he added. Coinciding with the India festival, a business delegation headed by commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath is visiting Amsterdam for the Netherlands India Business Meet (NIBM).

The NIBM will explore new models for Netherlands-India collaboration in areas as IT, agro-industry, logistics, infrastructure, life sciences, health, automotive and creative sector. The event will also focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with regard to bilateral trade and investments. Over 70 companies and more than 70,000 visitors were expected at the forthcoming event. A CEO round table is also slated during the meeting.