New Delhi : Japan Tuesday said it was examining carefully India's request for global civil nuclear energy cooperation but added that it had yet to make up its mind on supporting New Delhi at the NSG.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed with him a broad range of bilateral and regional issues including Japan's plans to expand cooperation with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

"Japan is examining carefully the issue of global civil nuclear cooperation with India. As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said earlier, Japan wants India to first conclude the bilateral civil nuclear energy pact with the US and a safeguard agreement with the IAEA. Japan will decide on supporting India at the NSG only after this," Mitsuo Sakaba, director-general for press and public relations in Japan's ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters.

Aso and Manmohan Singh discussed different ways of increasing bilateral trade and investments and hoped that the two sides will be able to conclude a free trade agreement before the end of 2008.

Aso is here to attend the 14th SAARC Summit, which got underway Tuesday, in which Japan has been invited as an observer for the first time.

Rating :

Rate Excellent Very Good Good Average Poor