Lucknow: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Feb 23, 2004) said that India has taken "serious" note of the clandestine export of nuclear technology from Pakistan and was confident that under the supervision of the United Nations (UN), a system will be evolved to check such proliferation.

"It is a serious issue," Vajpayee said at a press conference when asked about the secret export of nuclear technology by father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb A Q Khan to Iran, Libya and North Korea and the possibility of this getting into the hands of terror outfits like al Qaeda.

"On the one side, non-proliferation talks are going on. On the other, clandestinely transfer of nuclear technology to other countries has taken place. We have taken serious note of it," he said adding, "We are taking all steps necessary to safeguard the country's security."

Vajpayee said, "We are confident that under the UN supervision, a system will be successfully evolved to ensure that there is no room for such proliferation."