(RTTNews) -  The United States and the European Union have urged India and other non-signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to sign the pact that prevents the use of civilian nuclear material in the development of weapons, but which New Delhi considers discriminatory.

In a joint declaration Tuesday at the conclusion of the U.S.-E.U. 2009 Summit, they urged NPT non-signatories, including India, to accede as non-nuclear-weapon states to achieve universality. The two sides, which account for over half of the world's GDP, also agreed to achieve the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons, besides fighting protectionism.

Voicing their commitment to preserving and strengthening the authority and integrity of the NPT, the two sides said that the treaty, based on its three reinforcing pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, represented a unique and irreplaceable framework for maintaining and strengthening international peace, security and stability.

They also vowed to halve global green house gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and agreed to promote an ambitious and comprehensive international climate-change agreement at the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Change Summit.
Both sides announced they would establish an Energy Council at the ministerial level to further strengthen research and collaboration on sustainable and clean energy technologies, besides studying the use of nuclear power.

Also, the council would study the diversification of energy sources, like increased use of liquefied natural gas (LNG), solar power, wind power and bio-fuels. It would also study the use of nuclear power as also explore ways to effectively promote global energy security on the basis of transparent, stable and non-discriminatory global energy markets and diversified energy sources.

The council would further foster co-operation on energy
policy--both bilaterally and with third countries--for improving energy security, enhancing energy-efficiency, and deepening research, development, demonstration and deployment of sustainable and clean-energy technologies.

by RTT Staff Writer

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