Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the next meeting of the Nuclear Supplies Group will take place; and the agenda for discussion. [24983/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The next Plenary Meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) is scheduled to take place in Germany in early 2008. There will be a meeting of the NSG Consultative Group in Vienna from 14-16 November this year. This is the standing inter-sessional working body of the NSG, tasked to hold consultations on issues associated with the Guidelines on Nuclear Supply and related issues.

The agenda for the November meeting includes consideration of technical developments with implications for export controls, outreach to other States, UN Security Council sanctions, and the question of NSG relations with India. Participating Governments will be invited to share information on discussions with India on possible civil nuclear cooperation with that country but it is not expected that the NSG will be asked to take any decision in the matter, in particular given recent indications that the Government of India has decided to delay pursuing implementation of its agreement with the United States. As the Deputy will be aware, we have considerable reservations about the proposed agreement and have been actively seeking clarifications across a range of issues of concern.