'Joint action needed to enhance public confidence in N-energy'

The statement of Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai at the high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security at the United Nations assumes significance in the context of protests in Tamil Nadu over the operation of the two reactors of the Kudankulam atomic power project.

Addressing the meeting, Mathai said it should send a strong and unambiguous signal of support for nuclear energy while underlining common determination to strengthen the mandate and resources of the International Atomic Energy Agency to discharge its role and responsibilities.

He said India will actively contribute to international efforts for enhanced nuclear safety standards and practices evolved through consultations based on a scientific and objective approach that allows sharing of scientific knowledge and technology relating to nuclear safety and capacity building that allows timely response to nuclear actions should they occur.

At a meeting of the Conflict Prevention organised by Lebanon, President of the Security Council, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said there was really no sustainable alternative to political processes and that the primary focus of the UN should be the facilitation of a political settlement.

Coercive measures should be avoided and used as a measure of last resort and implemented with extreme care and caution. Participating in the meeting on 'New Silk Road', organised by Germany, Krishna recalled Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of a region in which he dreamt of a day one could have breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Kabul while retaining respective identities.

He said India has always considered Afghanistan as a south Asian country with natural complementaries and synergies with other countries of South Asia and one which was uniquely placed to build bridges even beyond it.