ML19263D913
| ML19263D913 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/08/1979 |
| From: | James Shea NRC OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (OIP) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| SECY-78-596D, NUDOCS 7904170053 | |
| Download: ML19263D913 (4) | |
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UNIT ED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COr.'t.ilss ON INFORMATION REPORT February 8,1979 SECY-78-596D
_Fo,r :
The Cctmiissioners From:
James R. Shea, Director Office of International Programs Executive Director for Operations / gijf.
Thru:
Subject:
XSNM-1222: EXTRACTS FRCM INDIAtl FCREIGN MINISTER VAJPAYEE'S INTERVIEW WITH "3LITZ" Discussicn:
The Indian Embassy has provided to us the attached text, giving. extracts frca Foreign Minister Vajpayee's recent interview with the Scmbay English weekly
" B l i t::".
^
Ja/esR.Shea, Director (
OpiceofInternationalPrograms
Enclosure:
As stated
Contact:
G. G. Oplinger (492-7566)
DISTRIBUTION:
Ccmmissicners Ccmmission Staff Offices Exec. Dir. for Operations Secretariat 7904170053
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'J 79 F S 6 Pl.1 3 22 Following are ex:racts fro-Foreign Minister's interview with 31its on various aspects of Indials, peace T s
ful nuclear development pro,trar.ce.
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- l;g INTE3NAT*L SFGT;05 QUESTION
This issue cf our nuclear independence has become a catter of centroversy.
ANS'.E3 It has been made a matter of contrebersy by the Press and particularl; by Blitz.
QUESTION:
That is because frcn the very beginning we have been so nuch part of the Nehru line of independence that an.y ali:*.ht deviation makes us feel.
.iNSWE2 Tell me Mr. Karanjin, where is the deviation?
qir.3 TION:
De'riation in.he s nse that the Prime Mi:.ister seems to be aller.;ic to nuclear development.
In his nind, aa far as I can gather there is no diviling line hetseen nuclear development for peace-ful or military pum:oses.
For example Pokhran explosion er implosien whatever it was can he used for both and so he condemns "oth.. That amounts to throwing the baby out with the bath-water: he has been ready and willing to accept Acerican d'ictatica 1 won't call it dictation, but rather recorv.endation or sud.;estien-on this sensitive issue.
AN$iER No.
On the question of proliferation, there is no difference between the United States and the Soviet Union.
But our line is clear.
India did no t sign the non-proliferation treaty and India will not si.;n it co long as the treaty continues to be discriminatory Secondly, we are ccanitted to develop research and we shall ecntinue to develop research in the field of nuclear energy.
QUISTICN:
But the Pckhran explosien was part of a research pro-gramme.
Why has it not been continued? Why has even the option been ;;iven up, ANSWIR No. We have not given it up.
All that the Prime Mini-ster said w1s,that he was still to be convinced whether explosions were nece.:sary to develop research in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purpcses; but if he were convinced, he would not be averse to explosions.
Such exulosions sill, however, not take place in any hush-hash =anner.
We 4ill announce thee :o :he world and tell them; Wall,1:ok, we are going to have these explcsiens, or inplosions, or blasts, for peaceful purposes; and if 2nybody wants to see them, he will be welecme to do that.
That is cur pesi:icn.
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India cannot for all LLne to enf.e foreclose its nuclear options.
And so far as the benefits of at;mic weapens are concerned, "r. Karanjia you know I belonjed to the party w9ich.as for the bomb.
'U ESTION:
quite right.
And you have to be so, or 10 or 15 years hence it may beccme a normal weapon of war.
ANSW ER If we could convince the nuclear weapons powers to disarn, then we need not revise our stand.
I have here a quotation, if I muy read it to you from the speech delivered by Panditji Nehru "So far as we are concerned we are determined not to go in for making atcaic bcmbs and the like.
But we are equally determined not to be left behind in the advance in the use of this power.
It is true that in the ultimate analysis the country which has atomic power fully developed, can use it for goed or even evil purpeces, and no declaration which I can make today will necessarily bind peoples in future, but I do hope that we shall create an atmosphere in this country which will bind every Government in future not to use this bonb for evil purposes.
"orarjibhai has gone on record to say in so many words, that the Pokhran explosion was not conducted to develop nuclear weapons. But after the Pokhran explosion, Fr. Karanjia, could Mrs. Gandhi explain why nothing more was done?
I do not want to say things which will create unnecessary controversy.
")1ESTICN:
But what was the reason?
ANSVER After the bang, her Government sat back.
QUESTICN:
Why do you think this happened?
^*'w:n Maybe she wanted to create a dramatic effect to frighten the people in India and also abread.
But, mind you, I had welecmed that hang.
I was in the opposition.
QUESTION:
Indira's stature undoubtedly rose as a result of the bang.
ANS'!E3
'fes.
QUESTICN:
I was told by M.rs. Gandhi three or four men:hs af ter the explcsion that research was being conducted to use it for peaceful purposes like finding minerals, ligging canals and cre ating water reservoirs.
ANS.!ER There has been no clackening in that effor: since we came in.
It continues.
Cn the contrary, it has been intensified.
J.UEST!CN:
It is good to know this.
Any pcsitive results cbtained?
3
. AN3ilER You will know when cemething actually hacpens.
But I have seen filns in Soviet Russia as well as the United States of America regardin;; what peaceful explosiens can do.
QU"_STICU:
Yes, artificial lakes can he created, mountains can be pulled down; rivers can he made to change their cources.
ANSWZR We have no idea to give up that type of research.
.iU dJTICN:
The point is: do the explosions centinue?
Cr have they been givon up? What is the precise stand of your Government?
ANSWER If needed, we shall use the atemic enerc;7 for peace-ful purposes. We are ccanitted to this.
Why should I say, if needed? We are cccmitted to uce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and if that requires blasts or explosions, that will be de;;e.
QU.3?ICN:
Was the proposal to set up an Indo-American committee r
en nuclear safe-t;uards a Cabinet decision? What pur-pose is it likely to serve?
ANSWER There a e many countries which would like to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
But the.de are obstacles in their way, becase the nuclear weapons states, while themsleves building s ockpiles of nuclear weapons all the time would not like others to develop nuclear energy even for peaceful purpcses.
Now India is cor.mitted to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We would like to find out whether there can be a system of safeguards within whi-h research and development in the field of nuclear energy can continue withcut heing hampered frca any side, and also remove doubts that the research is not aimed at manufacturing atomic weapona.
This problem is not confined only to India.
It is a univercal problem.
There are countries in the developing third werld like us.
Take for example, Argentina and Japan. The rece mendations of t:iis ccmmittee, will not be binding. Secondly, the committee will also have experts from the Third World countries.
And thirdly, they vill be asked to devise a system of safeguards not fullscope safeguards-which will : e universal in character.
We will not accept any safeguards which will not be applied to these states which have atcmic weapons.
So we have not, in any way, ccmprcmised with our severeignty, nor have we given up cur pro,;rance for research and develop-ment in the field of nuclear energy.
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