Friday, December 2 2005 19:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Brussles: The European Commission voiced support today (Dec 2,2005) for India's participation in talks over a multibillion-dollar experimental nuclear reactor, along with six partner countries backing the so-called ITER project.

The next session of negotiations on ITER planned by the European Union, the United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea and China will be held in South Korea next Tuesday, the EU's executive arm noted.

"The European Commission has today officially informed the Indian authorities that it supports the participation of India in the ITER negotiations," the commission said in a statement.

"India's participation should now be discussed with the other international parties, US, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan as part of the ongoing negotiations of the international agreement that will set up ITER," it said.

The six ITER partners agreed in June to build the main ITER facility in Cadarache, southern France, after Japan withdrew its bid to host the 12-billion-dollar, 30-year project.

Following years of wrangling between Japan and the EU, Japan was given the 20 percent of staff posts including the director general's job in exchange for dropping its proposal to build the reactor in northern Aomori prefecture.