Bulgaria welcomes Indias quest for civil nuclear energy, assures full help (Final lead: Bulgaria)

Bulgaria, which is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), today welcomed Indias engagement in the areas of peaceful use of nuclear energy and assured full cooperation for it.

New Delhi, Sept 12 : Bulgaria, which is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), today welcomed India's engagement in the areas of peaceful use of nuclear energy and assured full cooperation for it.

After India signed the bilateral 123-agreement with the US for the civil nuclear energy cooperation, New Delhi needs to get the 45-member NSG to amend its charter to enable India conduct nuclear trade with its members.

However, the ruling Government is facing serious opposition against the operationalisation of the deal from the main opposition party, BJP, and the Left that supports the government from outside.

In a joint declaration issued signed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his visiting Bulgarian counterpart, Sergei Stanishev, both leaders shared the view that civil nuclear energy can play an important role as a safe, sustainable and non-polluting source of energy in meeting rising global demands for energy.

Both Prime Ministers also called for closer bilateral cooperation in the field of oil and gas sector, and in the utilization of renewable and alternative energy sources and respective technologies as a basis for sustainable development and as part of the global efforts in addressing the challenges of climate change.

They agreed to facilitate the early implementation of the joint project of setting up a solar-based power plant in Bulgaria with the help from India.

India and Bulgaria held official talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern, and signed seven agreements today that included an agreement on bilateral economic cooperation, extradition treaty, treaty on transfer of sentenced persons between the two nations, bilateral cooperation in labour relations, employment and social security and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations' medium and small scale industries.

Visiting Bulgarian Prime Minister also reiterated his country's support for India's candidature for a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council.

Both the leaders expressed concern over growing terrorism and the climate change, and reiterated to work together in countering the problems.

They also said that India and Bulgaria would cooperate on issues of disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Both sides also agreed to further promote direct contacts between the business circles of the two countries, through regular meetings of the Indo-Bulgarian Joint Business Council.

Earlier, in the day, Stanishev called on President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari.

He also met with a spectrum of Indian political leaders that included Speaker of the Lok Sabha Somnath Chatterjee, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson of United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition L K Advani.

Stanishev is on a weeklong visit to India and he is also scheduled to visit Agra, Bangalore and Chennai.

The visit by a Bulgarian head of Government is taking place after 27 years.

ANI