IndiaChina the 'outlier' on India's NSG membership: US

China the ‘outlier’ on India’s NSG membership: US

Date:

China the ‘outlier' on 's NSG membership: US

Washington, January 15

The outgoing Obama Administration has lashed out at China for blocking India from becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group by describing the Communist giant as an “outlier” in its effort to bring New Delhi on board the elite grouping.

“Clearly there is one outlier that needs to be addressed and that is China,” Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, told PTI in an interview.

The US statement comes a week ahead of the Obama Administration passing on the baton to the Trump Administration. Officials say it is because of the Chinese resistance that India could not become a member of NSG, where all decisions are taken on the basis of consensus.

“The (US) President (Barack Obama) has been very clear and unequivocal that he believes that India has met the criteria for NSG and that the United States supports India's entry that India is ready and India should be brought into the NSG,” she said.

“We worked very closely with India to support India's application into the NSG, but we also recognise that there continue to be some concerns, some reservations that some of the members of the NSG have expressed that need to be worked through,” she said.

“We believe we have made substantial progress on that and as we hand the baton over to the next administration the path forward will be found for that. Clearly there is one outlier that needs to be addressed and that is China. As we move through all the other elements of the NSG membership, I think, we're on a good path forward,” Biswal said.

So what remains is to be able to have a very clear understanding on what is the basis of China's reservations and to try to work through those. So that will be something that would move on to the next administration to carry forward, she said in response to a question.

“But this is something that the President himself has personally engaged on, the Secretary (of State), ( Security Advisor), Ambassador (Susan) Rice and down the line this has been an area of intense effort by this administration,” Biswal said.

While India not becoming a NSG member is disappointing, Biswal said the Obama Administration is “very very gratified to see India's entry into the Missile Control Regime (MTCR)”.

China is advocating a two-step “non-discriminatory” approach for admission of countries who have not signed nuclear-Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in the NSG.

As per the new stand announced by Beijing in November, it first wants to find a solution that is applicable to the admission of all non-NPT members followed by discussions to admit specific non-NPT member.

China's stand for non-discriminatory criteria is regarded significant as Pakistan, a close ally of Beijing too has applied for the NSG membership along with India. —PTI

Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Cong asks Irani to put forward 10-year ‘report card’

New Delhi, Mar 28: The Congress on Thursday accused...

MHA extends till June 30 validity of FCRA Registered NGOs

New Delhi, Mar 28 : The Union home ministry...

TMC’s Mahua Moitra to skip ED summons today, will campaign in her constituency

New Delhi, Mar 28: Trinamool Congress’ leader Mahua Moitra...

Nanakmatta Gurudwara Kar Sewa Pramukh killed, SIT formed to investigate

UTTARAKHAND, Mar 28: Uttarakhand Police Headquarters has formed a...