India nuclear weapon state, says France
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 16 — France is not in favour of any third party mediation on the Kashmir issue and feels that a solution be found at bilateral level between India and Pakistan.

"We think the issue is bilateral", Mr Laurent Fabius, President of the National Assembly of France, who is heading a six-member delegation of MPs representing all political parties in that country, told reporters here today.

On the cross-border terrorism faced by India, Mr Fabius acknowledged that the problem was there and said all forms of terrorism should be dealt with first at the national level and then at the international level.

Mr Fabius, the youngest Prime Minister of France between July 1984 and March 1986, admitted that India after successfully conducting the nuclear tests at Pokhran had become a "nuclear weapon state." He said the "nuclear club" countries’ stand that India could not be accorded the status of a nuclear weapon state was only "technical". The nuclear club includes France, the USA, Britain, China and Russia.

"We recognise facts". The fact was that India is well advanced in nuclear field and it had proved its weapon capability, Mr Fabius said.

The President of the French National Assembly, the Lower House of Parliament, felt India should sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to help end proliferation of nuclear arms in the world. On India’s stand that it was willing to sign the CTBT with some changes, Mr Fabius said the agreement was in its final form.

He said France’s reaction was a "responsible" one. France had not pressed for sanctions against India as it adopted an "overall approach" and was more interested in the future. He however, said India’s decision to go in for the nuclear tests was not appropriate. "We are sorry for the decision."

On India’s call to the world for total ban on nuclear weapons, Mr Fabius said "it was a dream". He said there was no harm in dreaming of a world free of nuclear arms and for that matter any other weapons.

He felt that his government’s decision to collaborate with India in the field of nuclear power generation would suffer a setback after the Pokhran blasts. France would have to ensure that nuclear energy for civilians is not used for military purposes. He said there would have to be a firm control on the civilian nuclear installations before any cooperation took place.

France produces 80 per cent of its electricity from nuclear units. Nuclear power systems in that country are so safe that several tourists visit them.

On India’s stake for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Mr Fabius said France favoured reforms in the council. India with its population and position in the region was one of the best candidates for the seat.

He, however, felt that the UN which was set up after the World War II should change with the times and today there was a need for it to focus on economic and social aspects of the world.

For this he suggested the setting up of a separate economic and social council. India, on its part can play a major role in the formation of the new and supplementary council, he added.

The French delegation during its stay in the capital met the Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant, Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, parliamentarians and business leaders. The three-day trip includes a visit to Bangalore and Mumbai.

Mr Fabius said business relations between France and India were not satisfactory and there was scope for improvement. Perception of the French business community was that bureaucracy in India was a hindrance. He hoped that Mr Vajpayee’s visit to France this month would help strengthen economic ties between the two countries.