PM, Sarkozy in nuke, defence dialogue today

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy walk with Sufi priests during a visit to Fatehpur Sikri.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted a dinner for President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and his model-turned-singer wife Carla Bruni at his residence here on Sunday evening. The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting for about half an hour soon after Mr Sarkozy and his wife flew in from Agra, after which they joined the others at a private dinner. The two, who have met several times in the past three years and enjoy a good rapport, are learnt to have discussed issues such as reform of international financial institutions and the G-20 process.
Unlike the recent dinner for US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle where luminaries from civil society, academia and the media were also invited, it was a more private affair for the Sarkozys with senior Indian and French ministers present. Senior French ministers, including foreign minister Michele Alliot-Marie, defence minister Alain Juppe and finance minister Christine Lagarde, were at the dinner. From the Indian side, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna, defence minister A.K. Antony, national security adviser Shivshankar Menon and foreign secretary Nirupama Rao were among the guests.
On Monday, Mr Sarkozy will hold delegation-level talks with the Prime Minister and call on President Pratibha Patil. The only other Indian leader that Mr Sarkozy will have a separate meeting with is Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
The Indian nuclear liability regime is expected to figure in the Sarkozy-Singh talks as the French government is anxious that legal security of the reactor supplier (state-owned Areva in this case) should be in accordance with international standards. Counter-terrorism and defence cooperation will be among other key issues of discussion.
The two sides are likely to sign a framework agreement between French nuclear giant Areva and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for building, initially, two European pressurised reactors of 1,650 MW each, at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.
In Bengaluru on Saturday, Mr Sarkozy declared support for India’s quest for a permanent UN Security Council seat and the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Supporting India in its fight against terrorism, Mr Sarkozy also said terrorism emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan was a major source of instability in the world.
Earlier on Sunday evening, the Sarkozys received a traditional Indian welcome as they entered the lobby of the Taj Palace Hotel on arrival from Agra.
They were accorded a “Jodhpuri” welcome: the passage from the main entry gate to the porch was lined with mashaals (torches), and the nagadas (traditional drums) heralded them into the lobby, where women in colourful attire showered rose petals. “This is fabulous,” exclaimed first lady Carla Bruni.