Wednesday, March 15 2006 19:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Virtually rejecting US reservations, India today (Mar 15 2006) asserted that Russia's decision to provide the urgently-needed uranium to Tarapur plant entailed "no violation" of NSG guidelines and was being done under its Safety Exception Clause.

"There is no violation of NSG guidelines and Russia has approached NSG (45-country Nuclear Suppliers Group) under the Safety Exception Clause (of the NSG Guidelines)," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

Sarna was reacting to reservations expressed by US State Department over Russia's move to supply 60 metric tonnes of uranium to units I and II of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) to enable it to continue to function.

"The US is aware of the urgent need for fuel to Tarapur," the MEA spokesman said.

The spokesman said the US Congress is currently debating a change in US laws which would enable full civilian nuclear energy cooperation with India.

"Once the US laws have been amended, India looks forward to the US emerging as a major and reliable partner to India, not only in respect of assured fuel supplies, but for other aspects of civilian nuclear energy cooperation," Sarna said.