India likely to sign N-pact with uranium-rich Kazakhstan

NEW DELHI: Kazakhstan, known to have the second largest uranium reserves in the world, has evinced keen interest to have civil nuclear cooperation with India and an agreement in this regard is expected to be signed during the visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev here next month.

Atomic energy agencies of the countries have already established contacts and are discussing the scope for cooperation, including supply of uranium, joint exploration of the nuclear fuel and setting up of atomic plants.

"We are working for that. It is early to speak about that," Kazakh Ambassador Kairat Umarov told PTI in an interview here when asked whether civil nuclear agreement will be signed during the visit of Nazarbayev, who is coming here as the Chief Guest of the 2009 Republic Day.

Sources said, however, that the agreement is expected be signed during the visit and negotiations in this regard are being speeded up.

Kazakhstan will be the fourth country after the US, France and Russia with which India will have civil nuclear cooperation if the agreement is clinched during Narbayev's three-day visit when he will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Reflecting his country's keen interest to have civil nuclear agreement, Umarov said "the Kazakh side is ready to cooperate with India because India's reputation is very high."

Referring to the waiver by Nuclear Suppliers Group and firming up of India-IAEA Safeguards agreement, he said "since all formal hurdles have been overcome, there is clear road to cooperate."