Defensive China says it worked for NSG waiver

A FRIEND? Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (R) with Pranab Mukherjee before the talks in New Delhi.

    

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New Delhi: Under criticism from India on the nuclear waiver, China is on the defensive for its role at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting in Vienna.

But the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has denied that China tried to sabotage India's chances at getting the NSG waiver.

"The Chinese side adopted a responsible and positive attitude with regard to the discussion at the NSG. Now we see that a consensus has been reached. Before that at the IAEA China also adopted a positive and responsible attitude and the safeguards agreement was reached. So facts speak louder I am afraid then some reports," Yang Jiechi replied when asked if he concerned at the reaction in India over the Chinese position taken in Vienna at the NSG.

"We didn't do anything to block it. We played a constructive role. So I was really surprised by some reports," Yang said.

India has reportedly registered its strong disappointment with Yang over the country's role at the NSG meeting in Vienna.

Sources told CNN-IBN External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed his displeasure in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Monday evening.

Chinese President Hu Jintao had assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Beijing would do nothing to spoil India's chances at the NSG.

But at the NSG, China relented only after a phone call from US President George W Bush, apparently disregarding India's own missives in that regard.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also issued a a statement which said, "China has been taking part in relevant meetings within the NSG in a responsible and constructive manner."

The statement, which welcomed the NSG granting a waiver to India to engage in nuclear commerce, said on September 6 the NSG discussed nuclear cooperation with India and issued a statement on the basis of negotiated consensus, deciding to lift nuclear trade ban on the country.

China, which had earlier given to India signals of positive cooperation in the NSG came out openly with reservations at the Vienna NSG meet last week joining some 'hold out' countries virtually threatening to stall the move for NSG waiver to New Delhi.

The Chinese Ambassador in Delhi was reportedly summoned to the External Affiars Ministry in the early on Saturday to convey the Indian government's unhappiness over Beijing's role.

In Monday's statement, China welcomed the NSG granting a waiver but hoped this cooperation should be "conducive" to safeguarding the global nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

"China hopes that the decision will contribute to peaceful use of nuclear energy and international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation," the statement said.

Beijing's statement is being seen as a move to assuage New Delhi which has conveyed its unhappiness over the Chinese position at the NSG meet.

The tough negotiations in Vienna went down to the wire after China, which had sounded positive in the run-up to the NSG meeting, took a different line creating problems for a consensus on the waiver.

(With inputs from PTI)