'Safeguards deal possible within weeks'

NEW DELHI: An India-specific safeguards treaty could be worked out within weeks, according to IAEA chief Mohammed El Baradei, who on Friday described India as a nuclear weapon state, de facto or de jure.

He made it clear that it was for the government to decide on when to start negotiations on the agreement with the IAEA.

The IAEA Director General said India needed to be brought into the mainstream of non-proliferation regime to strengthen the system and this would be helped by the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Emphasising that atomic energy was important for India's growth, he said nuclear power was economically viable when compared to conventional fuels as operational expenses are 'much cheaper' than other sources.

In an interaction with reporters here, El Baradei made it clear that India was a nuclear weapon state as it possesses nuclear arms.

"Whether it is de facto or de jure it doesn't make much difference," he added.

On the proposed safeguards agreement to be negotiated between India and the IAEA, he said there was nothing peculiar about it as the UN nuclear watchdog already has four such arrangements with India.

"It is not a time consuming issue. It is a matter of weeks. We just have to agree on technicalities and language," he said on the sidelines of a leadership summit when asked how long it could take if and when the government decides to hold negotiations with on agreement.