Sweden, Norway give positive response to Indo-US N-deal

NEW DELHI: Sweden and Norway, which have had reservations with regard to Indo-US nuclear deal, have given a "positive response" on supporting the proposed agreement in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The response of the two Nordic countries was conveyed to Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran during his visit there last week to muster support for the deal that would allow the international community to resume trade with India in nuclear fuel and technology, official sources said on Monday.

Under the civil nuclear deal, firmed up in March during the visit here by US President George W Bush, the 45-country NSG is required to endorse through consensus the agreement so that member-countries could open trade with India in this area.

During the visit, the Indian side is understood to have cited the country's impeccable record in non-proliferation and unilateral commitments given by New Delhi to maintain it, the sources said.

Several NSG countries like Britain, France and Russia besides the US have expressed their approval of the deal but some of its members, particularly the Scandinavian nations, have had reservations.

After India attains confidence of getting the support from maximum NSG member countries, a special session of the grouping would be called to decide on the deal.

On its part, the US is also trying to convince the NSG countries to end restrictions on nuclear trade with India clamped since India tested nuclear device for the first time in 1974 and in 1998.