New Delhi: Keen to have civil nuclear cooperation with India, France has said it was waiting for New Delhi to ink the safeguards agreement with IAEA and get an exemption from 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont said his country is "pleading" with the IAEA and NSG to give exemption to India in the field so that it can have cooperation with the international community.

He told PTI here that an end to India's isolation in the field would be good for the country as well as the world.

"We believe strongly that an agreement between India and the IAEA leading to a special case presented to the NSG, which will allow India to cooperate in the civilian nuclear area with foreign countries, is a good thing for India and a good thing for the world," Bonnafant said.

He said France "very strongly" favours civil nuclear cooperation with India and is waiting for New Delhi to sign the Safeguards Agreement with IAEA and exemption from NSG.

"We are ready to sign the agreement with India whenever there is an agreement with IAEA, approved by the (IAEA) Board of Governors and exemption from NSG," the Ambassador said.

France is "pleading" for exemption to India in IAEA and among the NSG members, Bonnafont said.

A bilateral civil nuclear agreement between France and India, on the lines of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, is almost ready for signature by the two sides.
Source : PTI