Posted on 01/25/2007 7:55:29 AM PST by IrishMike
NEW DELHI: President Vladimir Putin of Russia offered to build four new nuclear reactors for India on Thursday, cementing his country's traditional role as India's main nuclear benefactor.
A memorandum of understanding on the plants was signed by the heads of the Russian and Indian nuclear agencies after a meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India.
Putin arrived in India on Thursday, hoping to use the two nations' friendship to push for deals in civilian nuclear cooperation, military hardware and trade expansion between the booming economies.
Russia has been eager to reassert its traditional role as the chief supplier of nuclear technology and know-how to India in the wake of a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation deal between New Delhi and Washington last year that appeared to give U.S. companies a strong position in India's nuclear market.
Russia is currently helping India build two 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors in the southern town of Kudankulam.
The document said that the four new reactors would be built at Kudankulam and at other sites, but did not outline a timetable or other specifics.
Russia has in the past stood by India, supplying it with reactors and fuel even as it was denied Western technology for its refusal to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Speaking after their meeting, Singh thanked Russia for its support "in lifting international restrictions on nuclear cooperation and assisting India in the expansion of our nuclear energy program," and said nuclear energy was emerging as the most important aspect of India and Russia's "strategic partnership."
Energy cooperation is vital for India, which has struggled to supply power to an economy that has grown at more than 8 percent a year recently. Despite India's rapid recent development, power cuts remain frequent across the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Hmmmm, there's that 1998-08-25 sign up date again...
Yes. I've been here since 1998, fairly early in FR's history. Your point?
Prove it.
And in all that time you haven't printed a word about yourself on your profile page?
Are you Dasee?
Wow!
Thanks for the link to that website.
Fascinating.
I have no idea what Dasee is.
I follow Spouth Asian issues. Have for several years.
Yeah. I love those guys for some reason or another.
They've been fighting the same enemy longer than we have. No, they haven't sent troops to the theaters where we engaged them--no need to, they've got enough to deal with right there at home.
It's not that they haven't sent troops, it's that they haven't done anything at all. A couple of years ago, US and Pakistani forces were looking for bin Laden, so India decided that was a good time to send troops to the Line of Control. This forced Pakistani troops to the LOC and thus away from searching for bin Laden.
They've exporeted and sponsored terrorism as much as tehy have fought it. They also have a very loose definition of terrorism. if you peacefully try to gain sovereignty for a state or a region and you demand a free and fair vote on the matter, by the standards of the Indian government you're a terrorist and they hve the right to kill you (and just about everyone who knows you.)
We could use a few in California...
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.
.
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As could we here in New York,
dozens are needed throughout the country.
[Now where did I put Putin's phone number......]
{I am sure that his friend George can find it for you.}
I think they had that line disconnected around the second week of November. :^)
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