China studying India-IAEA sageguard agreement

"I would like to tell you that China is now studying the draft safeguards agreement between India and the IAEA. The relevant study work is still going on," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters here.     

Liu was asked a pointed question if China would support the deal or not at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as India was initiating further steps to take the deal forward after the Manmohan Singh government won the confidence vote in Parliament on Tuesday.     

China, one of the recognised five nuclear powers, is a member of both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is to meet on August one to consider India's case, and also the 45-nation NSG.     

After receiving approval from IAEA, India would have to get a waiver by consensus from NSG to allow it to have nuclear commerce with the international community.     

Seeking to drum up support for its case, an Indian delegation will later this week proceed to various NSG nations, pushing its case particularly among those harbouring reservations on allowing exemption to New Delhi.     

On the eve of India presenting its case to the IAEA last week, China had hinted that it might not be a stumbling block for the deal.