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India working to sign CTBT as pressed by Japan

TOKYO: The Japanese government on Tuesday held out the carrot of fresh economic aid for India to sign the nuclear test ban treaty, a foreign ministry official said here.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki, during a meeting with visiting Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes, pressed New Delhi to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the official said

Japan suspended economic assistance to India after it conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998.

"Signing the CTBT would be good not only for the international community but also for India," Aoki was quoted by the foreign ministry official as telling his guest.

Tokyo was ready to resume economic assistance to India once it signed the treaty, he added.

"In addition to offering new economic assistance, we are ready to review economic sanctions once India decides to sign the treaty," Aoki told the Indian defence minister.

Fernandes, who arrived in Japan on Monday on a five-day visit, replied that New Delhi was working towards signing the treaty, said the Japanese official.

"With a view to joining the treaty, the Indian government is currently discussing it with all political factions and parties and is making utmost efforts to build a political consensus," Fernandes was quoted as saying.-PPI