Vladimir Putin: The Russian delegation to the UN Millennium Summit in New York proposed to implement, with IAEA participation, an international project for global energy supplies and sustained economic development accompanied by reducing nuclear arms proliferation and improving the environment worldwide.
India has vast technological experience, and can become one of the leading countries implementing the project. India and Russia both prefer a closed nuclear fuel cycle. We discussed it just now at a restricted meeting with India’s top scientists in that field. India and Russia have every reason to pool their efforts.
We would like to see India among the signatories of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We fully realise that the matter demands political decision-making with due account for national interests, and demands from the nation an awareness of benefits such steps promise.
I am sure we can achieve a great deal together. Teamwork in research and high technologies is certainly the most salient feature of our strategic partnership.