PHOTO: AP

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with the former South African president, Nelson Mandela, after their meeting at the Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg on Monday.

Pretoria: South Africa has committed itself to supporting India in seeking access to the advanced civilian nuclear technology from the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) once the New Delhi-Washington civilian nuclear cooperation agreement of July 2005 clears the United States congressional hurdle.

The assurance was given by South African President Thabo Mbeki on Monday. He told the media: "We are awaiting the outcome of processes [in the U.S. Congress]. The NSG has already discussed the matter, recently in Brazil, but could not be resolved [as the American Congress was yet to finish its legislative process]. South Africa has absolutely no problem; we will surely support India."

Mr. Mbeki was responding to a question on his Government's approach to India's request to the NSG in re-drawing the rules of international civilian nuclear cooperation. South Africa is a key member of the 45-nation NSG.

The Tshwane Declaration, signed by Mr. Mbeki and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, mentions "forward-looking approaches," a formulation that gives the Indian side reason for satisfaction.

The declaration reads:

PHOTO: AFP

WARM WELCOME: South African President Thabo Mbeki welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Pretoria on Monday.

"They [the two leaders] agreed that international civilian nuclear co-operation, under appropriate IAEA safeguards, among countries committed to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation objectives could be enhanced through acceptable forward-looking approaches, consistent with their respective national and international obligation."

Indian officials have chosen to interpret the "forward-looking approaches" formulation as a reference to India's effort to break into the nuclear-nations group without being accorded the status of a nuclear nation.

Moments before the South African President committed his country on the subject, Dr. Singh told the media that he had discussed the India-U.S. civilian nuclear agreement with his host and "expressed the hope that South Africa will take a sympathetic view of India's position."

In the declaration, Mr. Mbeki and Dr. Singh reaffirmed "the inalienable right of all States to the peaceful application of nuclear energy, consistent with their international legal obligations."

At the same time, the two leaders have reiterated the "unwavering commitment of South Africa and India to the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons in a comprehensive, universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable manner." They also favour "complete elimination of nuclear weapons" within a specified time frame.

The virtual endorsement of the U.S. civilian nuclear energy cooperation came at the end of bilateral talks. After two days of nostalgia about Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Singh and Mr. Mbeki came down to pressing realpolitik matters, and to giving "actual content" and "substance" to the much-talked about "strategic partnership" between the two nations.

On his part, Dr. Singh came close to endorsing South Africa's claim to a place in an expanded United Nations Security Council. South Africa was "eminently entitled to that seat," he said, in response to a question from a South African journalist.

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