After failing to ramp up enough support within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), China on Friday withdrew a draft resolution against the AUKUS alliance at the organization’s general conference, people familiar with the developments said.
India was instrumental in ensuring that the resolution did not get majority support and worked closely with many IAEA member states to ensure that the draft resolution which criticized the AUKUS resolution did not get the desired approval that China sought with its anti-AUKUS resolution.
“India took an objective view of the initiative, recognising the soundness of the technical evaluation by IAEA,” the people mentioned above said.
“India’s considered role helped many smaller countries take a clear stand on the Chinese proposal,” they further added. Indian mission to the IAEA also said that India worked closely with many IAEA member states in this regard.
China alleged that the AUKUS initiative was in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) responsibilities of Australia, the UK and the US.
China did not want the US and the UK to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines and clashed with three AUKUS members. Throughout the week, China has raised the matter at the UN nuclear watchdog’s general conference.
The AUKUS grouping of Australia, the UK and the US was announced in September 2021.
The Chinese resolution at the IAEA opposed AUKUS for giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines despite the fact that it will be armed with conventional weapons. The Chinese delegation also criticized the nuclear watchdog for its role in this regard.
There are 35 members at the IAEA including India. The group includes: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, the UK, the US, and Vietnam.
The AUKUS group appreciated the diplomatic role that India played. “India’s deft diplomacy was deeply appreciated by IAEA member states, particularly the AUKUS partners,” the people mentioned above said.
“The latest move by AUKUS which intends to expedite the making of Australia’s nuclear submarine is a blatant defiance of and trampling on the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and is an act of nuclear proliferation under the pretext of “naval nuclear propulsion.”,” the Chinese mission to the UN in Vienna warned in a statement earlier.
However, lacking support it retracted its anti-AUKUS resolution at the IAEA general conference on the final day of the conference.
(With inputs from Shalinder Wangu)
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