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FYI
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INDIA SIGNS CONVENTION ON NUCLEAR SAFETY; U.S. AGREES TO NUCLEAR CO-OPERATION The United States government has agreed to co-operate with India on civilian nuclear energy following the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in March 2005. India has agreed to sign the international Convention on Nuclear Safety by submitting its Instrument of Ratification on March 31 to the International Atomic Energy Agency. India had declined to agree to the Convention because of the ban on trade in nuclear technology with India by Western countries. The Convention opens up Indian nuclear power plants to international safety inspections. Nuclear trade with India was cut off in 1974 after India’s nuclear explosion. In its statement, the Indian external affairs ministry stated that India shares the goal of the Convention in maintaining a high level of nuclear safety world wide through national and international co-operation and safety-related technical co-operation. The minstry noted that India considered nuclear power to be indispensable to the development of a large and growing economy. Nucleonics Week 04/07/05
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