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India says Iran, US should talk nuclear issue over

Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 10:01 CDT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India said on Friday it wanted differences between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear activities to be resolved through talks, as New Delhi walks a diplomatic tightrope in its ties with both nations.

India has traditionally had strong ties with Islamic Iran and is looking to Tehran to partially offset India's huge appetite for energy. It is planning an ambitious $7-8 billion pipeline project with Iran that would run through Pakistan.

But India's relations with Washington have also expanded on the strategic, economic and high-technology levels after New Delhi was quick to back the U.S. war on terror after the September 11 attacks.

"India is against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We have said Iran, just as any other country, should live to its commitments and obligations (on nuclear activities)," Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told a news conference.

"These matters should be resolved through discussions and not through confrontation."

The United States and the European Union group of three -- France, Britain and Germany -- want to take Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose economic sanctions, after reports confirmed Tehran had resumed uranium conversion.

Washington which suspects Iran is covertly making nuclear weapons.

The stakes are high for New Delhi. In July, in a symbol of warming ties, Washington promised nuclear-armed India full cooperation in developing its civil nuclear program.

But key aspects of the deal have to be approved by the U.S. Congress and several American lawmakers said on Wednesday the agreement was at risk if New Delhi did not work with Washington to punish Iran for its nuclear activities.

"Sometimes, our perspectives are not exactly the same," said Saran.

Source: REUTERS

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