Japan, India to go ahead with n-talks

Tokyo, May 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Japan and India will continue talks on a bilateral agreement for civilian nuclear energy cooperation, Japanese finance ministry officials said.

Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed during a meeting that the issue was critical for both countries even though the nuclear energy talks between the two countries stalled following Japan's nuclear crisis caused by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Aso, who doubles as finance minister, is visiting India to attend the Asian Development Bank's annual meeting.

India and Japan started formal negotiations on a nuclear cooperation agreement in June 2010.

So far the two countries have had three rounds of negotiations.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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