Sarkozy reiterates support for India's bid for permanent UNSC seat

Bangalore: French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday backed India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"India deserves a permanent seat in the Security Council," Sarkozy said addressing over 500 scientists, captains of industry and students at the Indian Space Research Origination centre in Bangalore, soon after landing in India on a four-day visit to the country. (Read: French President Sarkozy arrives in India)

"It is unthinkable that one billion Indians are not represented in the Security Council," the French President added.

"India, along with Brazil, Germany, Japan, Africa and Arab world should be in the UN Security Council," he said.

Sarkozy is in Bangalore on the first leg of his four-day visit, during which he hopes to sign a mega nuclear deal with India and strengthen bilateral ties in key areas of space and civil nuclear cooperation. (How safe are French nuclear reactors?)

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He is accompanied by his singer-model wife Carla Bruni and a high-level delegation, including several key ministers of his cabinet and senior officials. (See Pics)

Sarkozy expressed his country's full support to the development of India's civil nuclear programme but felt access to this industry was "restricted".

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"France is a friend of India. It will stand with it in its efforts in developing non-polluting energy and nuclear industry," the French President said addressing scientists at ISRO.

"We need to put an end to nuclear isolation of India. It was injustice done to India challenging your right to access to civil nuclear energy," Sarkozy said.

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"India is now going to be a full-fledged member of the multilateral groups overseeing non-proliferation regimes," he said adding France would support India's application for candidacy of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Sarkozy noted with "delight" that a French company Areva would be setting up nuclear plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra that would go on to produce 10,000 MWe of "non-polluting" energy. (With PTI Inputs)

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