According to thIS new publication, about 600 million people and 10 million small businesses in Africa have no reliable source of electricity, and increasingly, connection to a national grid is no guarantee
If the Security Council were truly concerned about Iran's nuclear programme, it would have lifted sanctions in the light of the IAEA's latest report and thereby secured Iranian adherence to the Additional Protocol. On Monday evening, the United Nations Security Council voted 14-0 with one abstention to impose a fresh set of sanctions against Iran for failing to suspend its civilian nuclear fuel cycle programme. The resolution had the backing of not just the United States, Britain and France but also Russia and China. The latter two, who have made much of their official commitment to a diplomatic solution to the Iranian issue, justified their support for the latest resolution by adver tising the absence of any reference to the "use of force' in its language. But this reading of the text is wilfully na
The Congress on Tuesday gave a clear indication that following the "convergence of views' in the India-specific safeguards agreement talks at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this weekend, the UPA government was all set to go ahead with the India-U.S. nuclear agreement. Even as the Left parties reiterated their opposition to the deal in response to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's suo motu statement on foreign policy in Parliament on Monday, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said: "We are happy at the significant progress made at the IAEA talks [over the weekend]. We are particularly happy that vast and diverse areas of differences [towards India-specific safeguards] have been ironed out in the fifth round and we are optimistic about the outcome of the talks at IAEA.' In his statement, Mr. Singhvi categorically conveyed that "with the broad agreement in the IAEA and with the virtual acceptance of most, if not all, of India's concerns,' the Congress was confident of a "reasonable approach by all sections [Left parties] of the joint mechanism' on the deal. "As far as the Congress is concerned, it is committed to the deal and reiterates that it will be beneficial to the country. With this new development of convergence of views in the fifth round of talks, we are optimistic, hopeful and positive. The deal is in the interest of the nation,' he asserted. An India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA would enable the Nuclear Suppliers' Group to amend its guidelines for civilian nuclear commerce to the advantage of India. This would enable India to have bilateral civilian nuclear trade cooperation with countries like the U.S., the U.K., Russia and France. Safeguards issue Asked about the Left's concerns on the Hyde Act, Mr. Singhvi said the talks at the IAEA were about India-specific safeguards, most of which had been addressed. A senior Congress leader indicated that after waiving farmers' debt, the Congress-led UPA hopes to bring the nuclear deal centre stage in this crucial election year.
European countries are planning to offer new incentives to Iran if it agrees to halt its uranium enrichment program, European diplomats said Monday. Meanwhile at the United Nations, Iran's ambassador said that his country would continue to defy Security Council directives to halt the program, and that documents cited as possible evidence of Iran's effort to develop nuclear weapons were "forgeries.' The Security Council is expected to vote in the coming days on a third resolution to tighten sanctions against Iran. The European plan is the latest part of the West's long-running and so far unsuccessful carrot-and-stick strategy aimed at getting Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. The diplomats outlined the plan after a meeting at the State Department, where top officials from Britain, France, China, Russia, Germany and the United States discussed their Iran strategy. While the United States is not opposed to the European plan to offer a few more incentives to Iran, Bush administration officials said that at this point the United States did not plan to join the proposal. A senior State Department official said the United States was hoping that the "stick' part of the Iran strategy
Energy security has to go hand in hand with economic development and environmental protection.
India is still an energy deficit country and it will need 1,370 GWs of energy by the middle of the present century. At present the country had only one-tenth of that figure, said Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar. Delivering the keynote address at the six-day National Training Programme on the theme
prime minister Manmohan Singh got some support from the Chinese on India's civilian nuclear programme. But Beijing hasn't given any assurance that it will help India get fuel from the Nuclear
The uk government has approved construction of a new generation of nuclear power plants saying atomic energy could help fight climate change and secure the country's energy supplies in an unstable
In a volte-face, Australia's new government told an Indian envoy that it will not sell uranium to India unless New Delhi signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Reversing a decision taken by
