Reactor Sale On Course Despite Us Pressure

I have been assured that Russia will abide by its commitment, Gujral told reporters after meeting the secretary of the National Security Council, Ivan Rybkin. Sources said the speaker of the Russian parliament, Gennady Selzyanov, told the external affairs minister that Russia would sell the two 1,000 MW reactors to India, to be built at Kudamkulam, in Tamil Nadu.

These statements by senior Russian leaders have undoubtedly provided a fillip to Gujral, who seemed satisfied that this trip was confirming the return of Russia to a closer relationship with India.

On the top of the agenda was a meeting with Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin in the evening, just returned from a trip the US where he received a mouthful on the proposed Indo-Russian nuclear power plant deal from Washington.

 

Gujral, in conversations with reporters here, said he did not believe that the Russians would backtrack on the deal since they had given their word.

The agreement on the sale was signed as long ago as 1988, during the visit of former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev to Delhi.