Germany backs India for NSG membership

NEW DELHI: Lending further momentum to India’s chances of gaining entry into the 46-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which controls all nuclear commerce , Germany has said it will support full membership for India in the elite nuclear club. Germany is the third major country, after the US and France, to back India’s case for NSG membership in quick succession.

German ambassador to India Thomas Matussek said India will have the backing of Germany for full membership as it deserved to become a member of the NSG irrespective of whether or not it signed the NPT. “We helped India get a waiver from NSG earlier even though it had not signed NPT. India was the only country in the world for which we allowed this to happen but on certain conditions. So far India has met those conditions and we back India to become a member of NSG,” Matussek said, complimenting India for its unblemished non-proliferation record.

The German ambassador’s remarks came days ahead of PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to Berlin where he will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday. Matussek, however, said much should not be made out of whether or not there is an official announcement of this support in Berlin when Singh meets Merkel.

On his visit to India last month, US President Barack Obama had announced support for India’s entry into NSG. French President Nicolas Sarkozy too has backed India for the same during his ongoing visit. Matussek said Germany took very seriously recent reports that LeT and another India-based terror group was planning to carry out terrorist strikes in Germany.

“We believe the threat is quite serious. All I can say at this stage is that we are in touch with Indian agencies over this,” he added.

Asked whether Pakistan was doing enough against terrorism , Matussek’s answer was an emphatic no. “It is not a matter of arm-twisting though. It is a matter of open, sincere dialogue and to help Pakistan’s government handle instability,” he said.