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| India-Pakistan |
| Nuclear deal: US hints at one-time exception for India |
| 2005-12-17 |
| Bush Administration looking at India-specific legislation for exemption, the first such for a particular country With India working on an outline of its plan to separate civilian and military nuclear facilities ahead of the JWG meeting next week in Washington, the Bush Administration has indicated it favours an India-specific legislation making a one-time exemption as the best way to take the nuclear deal forward. In case it goes through, it will be the first time that US would make a positive exception in nuclear matters for a particular country. Such an exemption would have to be approved by both chambers of the US Congress. The progress on this front, however, will depend on New Delhi’s preparation in planning the separation of its civilian and military nuclear facilities. For this, the outline of the roadmap for separation is critical to this round of negotiations if India wants to sign a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement when US President George Bush visits New Delhi sometime in February-end or early March. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, who leaves on December 20 for the JWG meeting with US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, will be accompanied by two experts from the Atomic Energy Commission. India will make it clear to the US that it cannot be expected to adopt comprehensive safeguards like what applies to non-nuclear weapon states. Sources pointed out that the deal with the US is not about India’s strategic weapons programme but on furthering civilian nuclear cooperation. So, the parameters that India hopes to reach an understanding on are: • India will adopt safeguards to the extent it assures no diversion of what is imported for its civilian nuclear programme to military programme • No future programmes that are still taking shape can be brought under safeguards now • India can’t sign safeguards deal applying to non-nuclear weapons states. Despite the roadblocks that still have to be cleared, the hope is that New Delhi will be able to present a credible plan which will help the Bush Administration build the case that the agreement with India will further non-proliferation objectives. Given where India stood in 1998 when the UNSC Resolution following Pokhran II asked member states to prevent supply of equipment, material and technology in the nuclear field, there is now reversal and India is keen on not losing the momentum by delaying matters. Besides this, the two sides will review plans for Bush’s visit including the satellite launch agreement that will allow India to launch American satellites. A draft on the technical elements of the agreement has already been passed to India while a draft of the commercial aspects is still awaited. Ideas will be exchanged on new areas that can explored during Bush’s visit besides examining ways to carry forward what had been agreed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit in July. |
| Posted by:john |