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India tells Japan seeking consensus on N-test ban

NEW DELHI: India said on Tuesday it had told Japan, one of the most vocal critics of its controversial nuclear tests, that it was attempting to build a wide consensus on signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Both sides expressed understanding of each other's security concerns at a meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Lalit Mansingh and Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Royuzo Kato, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

"On the CTBT, the Indian side reiterated its position and stated that the effort to build the widest possible consensus was continuing," he said in a statement.

India, which carried out a series of nuclear explosions in May 1998, has said it seeks to build a domestic consensus on the test ban treaty.

Japan, like the United States, imposed sanctions on India for its nuclear tests and has been at the forefront of international efforts to persuade New Delhi to sign the test ban treaty.

The foreign ministry spokesman said the two countries adopted a "forward looking" approach at the meeting in New Delhi.

"During the discussions on bilateral relations, it was agreed that Indo-Japanese relations should not be hostage to any single issue," he said.

Officials said the "single issue" mainly referred to nuclear non-proliferation including the test ban treaty.-Reuters