WITHIN DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS, BELGIUM

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001249 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC AORC BE SUBJECT: WITHIN DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS, BELGIUM WILL SUPPORT THE NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP DRAFT EXCEPTION FOR INDIA REF: STATE 085948 ¶1. (SBU) POL/E Chief delivered reftel demarche to Michel Peetermans, Chief of Service, Belgian MFA, in the company of his French and British counterparts. Peetermans said that MFA non-proliferation expert Werner Bauwens would attend the August 21-22 Extraordinary Plenary in Vienna. Noting that Belgium is not a member of the board of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Peetermans said that Belgium would not oppose the text of the draft declaration. Belgium understands the arguments in favor of the U.S. approach. ¶2. (SBU) However, he continued, Belgium's domestic issues will make it difficult for Belgium to be in the forefront of supporters for the text, a reference to the commitment by a previous government coalition to phase out all of Belgium's nuclear power plants by the year 2015. In that context, Belgium will expect India to move ahead on other issues such as a special safeguard agreement with the IAEA and to expect India to negotiate an additional protocol. Belgium will also want India to support multilateral Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT). Peetermans was pleased to learn that the U.S. would be seeking a similar commitment as required under the Hyde Act. ¶3. (SBU) Belgium accepts that India clearly has no interest in undermining non-proliferation efforts but will also want India to refrain from holding further nuclear tests and, in the longer run, to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. .