indian_foxhound
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NEW DELHI: Turkey's special
relationship with Pakistan is
coming in the way of better ties
with India. In its quest for membership to
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),
India has come up against a
Turkish obstacle: Ankara says it
wants a "clarification" or
assurance on non-proliferation. In addition, Turkey is pushing the
case for Pakistan to enhance its
engagement with the global
nuclear body. India's displeasure
has led to a sharp decrease in
high-level interaction between the two countries. Feridun Sinirlioglu, undersecretary of the Turkish
foreign ministry, who led a high-level official
delegation to India this week for foreign office
consultations, told TOI, "We see Turkey's relations
with India as a strategic one. Our relations with
Pakistan should not impact India. We want to enhance ties with India on its own merit." But he admitted that Turkey had raised a "non-
proliferation" concern regarding India's
membership to the NSG. "Non-proliferation is an
issue," Sinirlioglu said. But he went on to say that
Turkey did not object to India's NSG membership.
Turkey is pushing a criteria-based membership to the nuclear body, which India believes, is aimed
at making way for an exemption for Pakistan.
Ankara, however, denies this. The nuclear membership is close to India's heart.
Turkey's stand has resulted in a sharp decline in
bilateral engagement with India, despite the fact
that it is regarded as an important partner.
National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon
was expected to be in Turkey earlier this month, but inexplicably cancelled his visit at the last
minute, citing scheduling problems. Turkey supported the waiver for nuclear
commerce with India at the NSG in 2008. Hence,
the raising of objections on non-proliferation
concerns has struck a discordant note in India.
India, say sources, has no proliferation issues. But
the objections are similar to the ones that China had made earlier, which were intended for the
same thing: an exemption for Pakistan. India sees
this move as being against its interests and is
convinced Turkey is acting as a cat's paw for
both China and Pakistan. Diplomatic sources aver
that Turkey was keen on "helping" Pakistan, to "save" the nation. India went through an arduous process of a
nuclear deal with the US and was granted a
waiver by the NSG. A couple of years later, China
announced it would sell a couple of new nuclear
reactors to Pakistan, which it said was
"grandfathered" at the time of China joining the NSG. Given China's growing stature, there was
little or no objection from the NSG. Turkey has
argued that Pakistan's "engagement" with the
NSG should increase. However, India interprets
this as a backdoor entry for Pakistan, a known
nuclear proliferator, into the nuclear body. Turkey, indicated Sinirlioglu, was looking at
nuclear cooperation with India. Turkey is in the
market to buy several nuclear reactors. It is
currently focused on Russia, but India could also
look at Turkey as a reactor market. That needs an
NSG membership for India. Wires are clearly crossed between New Delhi and Ankara.
http://www.timesofindia.com/india/T...as-entry-to-NSG-club/articleshow/18602108.cms
relationship with Pakistan is
coming in the way of better ties
with India. In its quest for membership to
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),
India has come up against a
Turkish obstacle: Ankara says it
wants a "clarification" or
assurance on non-proliferation. In addition, Turkey is pushing the
case for Pakistan to enhance its
engagement with the global
nuclear body. India's displeasure
has led to a sharp decrease in
high-level interaction between the two countries. Feridun Sinirlioglu, undersecretary of the Turkish
foreign ministry, who led a high-level official
delegation to India this week for foreign office
consultations, told TOI, "We see Turkey's relations
with India as a strategic one. Our relations with
Pakistan should not impact India. We want to enhance ties with India on its own merit." But he admitted that Turkey had raised a "non-
proliferation" concern regarding India's
membership to the NSG. "Non-proliferation is an
issue," Sinirlioglu said. But he went on to say that
Turkey did not object to India's NSG membership.
Turkey is pushing a criteria-based membership to the nuclear body, which India believes, is aimed
at making way for an exemption for Pakistan.
Ankara, however, denies this. The nuclear membership is close to India's heart.
Turkey's stand has resulted in a sharp decline in
bilateral engagement with India, despite the fact
that it is regarded as an important partner.
National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon
was expected to be in Turkey earlier this month, but inexplicably cancelled his visit at the last
minute, citing scheduling problems. Turkey supported the waiver for nuclear
commerce with India at the NSG in 2008. Hence,
the raising of objections on non-proliferation
concerns has struck a discordant note in India.
India, say sources, has no proliferation issues. But
the objections are similar to the ones that China had made earlier, which were intended for the
same thing: an exemption for Pakistan. India sees
this move as being against its interests and is
convinced Turkey is acting as a cat's paw for
both China and Pakistan. Diplomatic sources aver
that Turkey was keen on "helping" Pakistan, to "save" the nation. India went through an arduous process of a
nuclear deal with the US and was granted a
waiver by the NSG. A couple of years later, China
announced it would sell a couple of new nuclear
reactors to Pakistan, which it said was
"grandfathered" at the time of China joining the NSG. Given China's growing stature, there was
little or no objection from the NSG. Turkey has
argued that Pakistan's "engagement" with the
NSG should increase. However, India interprets
this as a backdoor entry for Pakistan, a known
nuclear proliferator, into the nuclear body. Turkey, indicated Sinirlioglu, was looking at
nuclear cooperation with India. Turkey is in the
market to buy several nuclear reactors. It is
currently focused on Russia, but India could also
look at Turkey as a reactor market. That needs an
NSG membership for India. Wires are clearly crossed between New Delhi and Ankara.
http://www.timesofindia.com/india/T...as-entry-to-NSG-club/articleshow/18602108.cms