India will be focusing on the "gaps" in the international nuclear security legal framework at the NSS meet in Hague on March 24-25, while stressing the need for all member countries to be party to its conventions including on Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will lead the delegation comprising Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and other senior officials from India, which will reiterate its concerns over nuclear terrorism and breach of nuclear technology security at the third Nuclear Security Summit. "Our approach would be to focus on some of the pending work e.g there are still gaps in the international nuclear security legal architecture. A number of NSS countries are still not party to 2005 amendments to the Convention of Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Number of them are also not party to International Convention on Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. We would like all the NSS countries to be part of the legal framework," senior government officials said here.
The other area of focus will include greater tactical cooperation in combating illicit trafficking of nuclear material and greater cooperation in sharing of best practises and technologies.
Asked if India would also raise the issue of Pakistan blocking the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) at the Summit, which will be attended by more than 50 countries and four international organisations, the officials said though the agenda was not specifically part of NSS but individual country statements may cover other issues including this.
On whether India will raise concerns over safety of nuclear arsenal in Pakistan, they said NSS does not go into country-specific concerns but added that India's concerns over clandestine proliferation of nuclear material and technology have been raised at several occasions and were well known.
On the status of India's bid for membership in multi- lateral export control regimes including the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Wassenaar Arrangement, the officials termed the progress as "good", saying apart from the active discussions with these regimes, India was also in talks bilaterally with the countries.
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