UNDERSECRETARY OF LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AND SPECIAL SECRETARY OF INDIA’S MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSED NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
On 29 July, Undersecretary of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Laimonas Talat-Kelpša received Special Secretary of India’s Ministry of External Affairs Sharat Sabharwal and discussed nuclear energy development issues with him.
The guest informed that while India’s economy and energy needs were growing fast, a decision was made to use more nuclear energy, applying the most modern foreign technologies and importing the nuclear fuel for this purpose.
According to the international practice, it is necessary to meet strict security requirements for implementing nuclear energy projects and to prevent proliferation of nuclear materials. Therefore, the system of safeguards established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has to be applied to this initiative of India.
Special Secretary of India’s Ministry of External Affairs transmitted a letter to Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas from the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh, in which he asks to approve of India’s safeguard agreement with IAEA and an exemption to the rules of the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the export of nuclear fuel and technology.
L.Talat-Kelpša expressed support for secure nuclear energy development and stressed the importance of energy security for the development of a country and presented Lithuania’s plans in the area of nuclear energy.
The draft safeguard agreement will be discussed at the IAEA Board of Governors on 1 August. Lithuania is one of the 35 countries that comprise this executive institution of the International Atomic Energy Agency and also belongs to the Nuclear Suppliers Group of 45 states.
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