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| Japan asks India to sign CTBT |
| BS Reporter / New Delhi Dec 30, 2009, 01:07 IST |
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PM puts onus on US, China.
 Neither India nor Japan budged an inch from their stand on the nuclear cooperation issue but both the countries acknowledged their differences.
As expected, Japan today asked India to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). However, India put the onus on the US and China, saying if they thought about ratifying it, India would consider it as well.
Japan, considered to be the world’s worst victim of military nuclear power, however, promised to relax restrictions on hi-tech trade as the two countries sought to impart greater depth to their ties by unveiling an action plan covering defence and counter-terrorism exchanges and vowing to step up two-way trade.
After holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama remained non-committal on civil nuclear cooperation with India although he observed that it would be an “important agenda for future”. At a joint press conference with Singh after the talks, Hatoyama said the two countries had “differences” over the issue of CTBT and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Noting that he had discussed the issue with Singh, Hatoyama said: “I expressed hope that along with the US and China, India will sign and ratify the (CTBT) treaty.”
He added: “In response, Prime Minister Singh said should the US and China ratify the CTBT, a new situation will emerge. I believe he has stated it as a matter of fact. We firmly have to engage in these endeavours.”
Singh said India was committed to “universal, voluntary and non-discriminatory” disarmament and voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing.
Hatoyama said he had also referred to the Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty and contended that negotiations for that should be launched as soon as possible.
The Japanese PM added that his country continued to “seek cooperation from India” for “total elimination of nuclear weapons”.
On his part, Singh said India was “deeply interested” in working with Japan and other like-minded countries to “promote the cause of universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory disarmament”.
He said he “explained” to Hatoyama “the circumstances in which India had to go the nuclear weapon” way in 1998.
“I also mentioned India has unilaterally declared moratorium on conducting nuclear explosive testing and that is a commitment we will honour,” Singh said, adding he had also pointed to India’s “impeccable record” with regard to non-proliferation.
Noting that the two leaders had “fairly extensive” discussions on prospects of civil nuclear cooperation, Singh referred to the waiver given by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group to India to conduct trade in nuclear material and technology.
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