Thursday, March 23 2006 18:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: China today (Mar 23 2006) said it would adopt an "earnestly responsible" stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting but stressed that such a cooperation should be helpful in enhancing authority and effectiveness of international non-proliferation regime.

"China would continue to participate in the relevant discussions at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) with an earnestly responsible attitude," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said without indicating whether Beijing would support or oppose the landmark deal between India and the US, struck during President George W Bush's New Delhi visit.

China's stand on the Indo-US deal could be crucial as there should be 'consensus' within NSG members to amend its rules to pave the way for its implementation, analysts said.

China is of the view that countries can develop nuclear cooperation for peaceful purposes while conforming to the regulations of the international non-proliferation regime and their own international obligations, Qin told sources here.

He also said that such cooperation in the nuclear field should be beneficial to maintaining and strengthening the non-proliferation mechanism.

While confirming that the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation was on the agenda of the 44-member NSG, a key international consultative group on controlling nuclear energy, Qin said China would take part in the discussions on the deal between India and the United States.

On March 2, the day India and the US signed the historic agreement, China had expressed hope that more non-signatory countries to the NPT could join the treaty as non-nuclear states.

Signatory party to the treaty

"As a signatory party to the treaty, China hopes that non-signatory countries can get on board as non-nuclear states at an early date, and contribute to a stronger international non-proliferation regime as well as the regional and international peace and stability," Qin had said.

He also stated that China has a clear-cut position on the nuclear cooperation between India and the US.

"At present, the international community is now working on enhancing the authority and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime. China hopes that the cooperation of relevant countries can contribute to these efforts, conforms to the regulations of the international non-proliferation regime and their own international obligations."

He also pointed out that the NPT served as a corner stone of the international non-proliferation regime and has played an important role in preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to visit the United States and meet Bush on April 20 and the Indo-US civil nuclear energy deal could figure in their talks.

The Bush administration has deputed Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, and Stephen Rademaker, Assistant Secretary of State for International, Security and Non-proliferation, to Vienna to brief members of the NSG on Washington's plan to provide key US nuclear technology to India.

The state-run Chinese media and prominent Chinese scholars have expressed concern over the Indo-US nuclear deal, claiming that it would undermine global non-proliferation regime.