France asks India to ensure legal security of nuke suppliers

The issue is expected to figure in the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy here on next Monday.

"We have expressed several time.....The fact that we are discussing with India on civil nuclear liability question, which is of course very important for us. It is important for us that legal security of the suppliers is ensured with accordance with international standards," a French official said here today.

The official, however, refused to elaborate despite being asked repeatedly whether the present Act did not provide the legal protection and merely said that both the French government and French companies were in active discussion with India.

The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Law passed by Parliament makes a supplier liable for damages if a "nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or his employee, which includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services."

Sarkozy, accompanied by his singer-model wife Carla Bruni and a high-level delegation, will undertake a four-day India visit from Saturday.

During the visit, two Consulate Generals will also be inaugurated in Bangalore and Kolkata, besides inauguration of the new premises of French diplomatic mission in Mumbai.

Aimed at giving fillip to strategic and economic ties between two countries, the visit will provide an opportunity to both sides to discuss a host of global issues like reform of the international financial institutions, the G20 forum of major and emerging economies, climate change and non- proliferation.