India France nuclear dealNEW DELHI - As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh goes to Paris Monday, France is moving ahead rapidly to implement its bilateral civil nuclear pact with India. French company Areva is close to finalising a contract for two nuclear reactors to be set up in Maharashtra.

Paris is pulling out all stops to welcome Manmohan Singh, who will be the chief guest at France’s National Day celebrations July 14 - the first foreign head of government to be accorded such an honour.

He is the first foreign leader to be chief guest at the Bastille Day parade, French envoy Jerome Bonnafont told reporters here Friday.

German President Horst Koehler and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, who will be in France on a bilateral visit, will also attend the colourful parade in which 400 Indian airmen will also participate.

In the past, several foreign leaders have attended the Bastille Day parade, but the Indian prime minister is the only one to be made chief guest, the envoy said.

The honour reciprocates India’s gesture of inviting French President Nicolas Sarkozy as the guest of honour at the Republic Day parade. “It is a symbol of close cooperation between India and France,” the envoy said.

“The participation of Indian armed forces in the parade is an occasion to commemorate Indian soldiers’ participation on our sides and in our territory during the two world wars,” the envoy said.

Sarkozy will host a working lunch for Manmohan Singh July 14 and hold talks on a range of bilateral and global issues, including terrorism, civil nuclear trade, climate change, defence ties and the global financial crisis.

Ahead of the visit, the French envoy Thursday came out strongly in support of India’s call for reform of the United Nations and backed India for a permanent seat in the Security Council.

As Manmohan Singh goes to Paris, French nuclear conglomerate Areva is discussing with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) the preparation of a contract for two advanced EPR nuclear reactors of 1,650 MW each. The reactors will be set up in Jaitapur in Maharashtra. The negotiations on issues relating to the contract, including the crucial civil liabilities in case of an accident, are in advanced stage, diplomatic sources said.

The bilateral nuclear cooperation pact, that was inked during Manmohan Singh’s visit to Paris Sep 30 last year making France the first country to sign such an agreement, has already reached the Senate, upper chamber of the French parliament.

France has also indicated that it’s ready to re-process spent fuel at a facility in its territory if India requested for it.