PM unlikely to raise Anderson's extradition with Obama

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is unlikely to raise the issue of extradition of former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson when he meets US President Barack Obama in Toronto on Sunday.

The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the G-20 for a review of bilateral ties and exchange of views on global and regional issues. The issues that will come up in the Summit will also be discussed.

Sources said the Anderson extradition issue was an "old request" and it was for the CBI to do its home work. The US had raised some points and it was for the CBI to answer them.

The sources said they do not think the issue will be raised by the prime minister.

Yesterday, the Union Cabinet approved the Bhopal package prepared by the Group of Ministers which included pursuing the extradition issue.

On China's proposal for setting up two additional nuclear reactors in its Chashma Plant, the sources said India is watching the ongoing Nuclear Suppliers Group Meeting in New Zealand.

New Delhi, which is not a member of the NSG has conveyed its concerns that any such cooperation should go through the NSG with its approval and there cannot be a bilateral deal with Pakistan which is a not a signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty.

India is of the view that Sino-Pak nuclear deal could apply only to the earlier agreement covering two reactors in Chashma under international safeguards.

A few years ago, China came to the NSG and got a specific exemption for the first two reactors. Any new cooperation proposal  should come to the NSG, feels India.

On Pakistan's action against those responsible for the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. Chidambaram, who is in Islamabad today, is expected to convey India's concerns to his Pakistani counter part Rehman Malik.

"We will tell them what we know and what we expect," sources said.

Notwithstanding reports of differences on deploying army in the fight against Maoists, the Indian security establishment is of the view that there was already
coordination between Home and Defence Ministries in training and help in air transport and reconnaissance.

The central government has also worked out a strategy of effective policing and development in naxal-hit areas for which it will be working with the states concerned.

"This strategy needs more coordination and we will have to bring the chief ministers. This will take time," they said.

The security establishment has found nothing specific to suggest any direct links between Maoists and external elements in any arms flow into India.

There is a large South East Asian market from where the Maoists may be sourcing their arms, they said.