India's Nuclear Agreement

[nitesh]

N-deal: We can test, assures Govt-India-The Times of India

N-deal: We can test, assures Govt
4 Sep 2008, 1700 hrs IST,AGENCIES

NEW DELHI: The UPA government has rejected the BJP’s charges that it surrendered its right to conduct nuclear tests to the US. ( Watch )

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said India reserved its right to nuclear tests under the 123 agreement.

BJP charges are preposterous, the Congress leader said.

The government was forced to issue this clarification after details of the secret letter sent by the Bush administration to the US Congress were revealed.

Left attacks PM on nuke deal

CPM leader Prakash Karat said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should quit for "lying to people and Parliament" on the nature of the nuclear agreement with the US.

Accusing the Prime Minister of misleading Parliament, the CPI also joined the CPM in asking the government to abandon operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal following revelations in correspondence between the Bush administration and US Congress.

"It is abundantly clear that all the assurances regarding India's right to conduct tests, supply of fuel in perpetuity and chance of getting sensitive technology for reprocessing and enrichment were baseless," the party's Central Secretariat said in a statement.

It said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to Parliament on the issue "had no legal basis. Prime Minister willingly or otherwise has misled the Parliament."

Maintaining that the 26-page letter made public in the US had said the 123 agreement was "just a bye-product of Hyde Act", the CPI said India had "surrendered its nuclear autonomy" and it has to "follow whatever the US Administration dictates."

While there was no assurance on fuel supply in perpetuity, "what is more shocking is the fact that the US has acquired the right to force India to abandon its future R&D projects."

"With these revelations and the ongoing debate in NSG for imposing further restrictions on India, it is in the interest of the country that the Manmohan Singh government abandons the process of operationalising the 123 agreement," the CPI said.

SP in a ‘dilemma’

Congress party's new found supporter, the Samajwadi party said it was in a dilemma over the new developments in the nuclear deal. ( Watch )

Reacting to the latest developments on the nuke deal, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said he is in a ' duvidha ' (dilemma) as the letter being reported by the media is saying something else and the Congress party's Pranab Mukherjee has said something. "I will study this properly before I can react", Mulayam said.

The Congress, however, got into the damage control mode in a jiffy, and sought to allay his fears and tried to reassure him that there was nothing in the latest development that is not already known.

PM misled Parliament: BJP

Earlier, the BJP accused the Prime Minister of “misleading” Parliament and the country on the nuclear deal issue. ( Watch )

"The Manmohan Singh government has no business to continue in office and should leave immediately," senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told a press conference here.

The former external affairs minister said in view of the "gross breach" of privilege of both the Houses of Parliament, an immediate session should be convened "within the shortest possible time" to enable BJP to move a privilege motion against the Prime Minister if the UPA did not quit.

The BJP made the demands following of the disclosure of a secret letter on Wednesday, sent by the Bush administration to US Congress that the pact would be off if India conducted a nuclear test.

Sinha said the government's statement in Parliament on the nuclear deal and what the US administration has told its lawmakers were "diametrically opposed to each other".

The BJP leader said if there were so many differences on the interpretation of the deal right from the beginning, then various problems would crop up in the later stages.

"This is a sure recipe for spoiling the Indo-US bilateral relations," he said, adding that BJP's "worst fears" had come true.

On the Hyde Act, Sinha said it is not only relevant but it is binding on the agreement.

"It is binding on the country. We cannot escape the rigours of the Hyde Act," he said.

The correspondence, which was made public by the US, vindicate BJP's stand, he said, adding "the position of India and US is poles apart"

BJP leader Arun Shourie said "the lies of the government and the Prime Minister in person have been nailed.

"It is a blot on us that we have to rely on disclosure by some other people rather from the government here. Once again the falsehood of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been exposed," he said.

Shourie said there is a huge difference between what the government here is saying and what the United States administration is saying.

He also claimed that the United States has clearly said that if India conducts nuclear tests, it will terminate the agreement.

"Not only that but they have said they can also terminate the agreement on other grounds. Testing is just one of the items," he said.

India has so far been claiming that the deal would not constrain the country's right to nuclear tests and would provide an uninterrupted supply of fuel to India's nuclear reactors. In August 2007, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told Parliament, “The agreement does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary.”

 

[nitesh]

UPDATE 1-US says nuclear states nearing deal on India trade | Markets | Reuters

VIENNA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday nuclear supplier nations were making progress towards agreement on lifting a ban on trade with India, after Washington revised a proposal for the move to meet a raft of objections.

U.S. officials, scrambling to finalise a U.S.-India atomic energy deal, have been lobbying others in the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group for a one-time waiver to its rules against doing business with states outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Ahead of a two-day NSG meeting that began on Thursday, some members said changes made to the U.S. waiver draft were cosmetic and did not allay concerns the deal could subvert treaties meant to stop the production or testing of nuclear weapons.

In a sign of its desire to save a major Bush administration initiative, Washington sent its No. 3 diplomat, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, to Vienna to head the U.S. NSG delegation.

"We are making steady progress in this process and will continue to make progress," he said outside the closed meeting.

"And while a number of representatives here have raised important questions that need to be addressed, our discussions have been constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus," Burns told reporters. He took no questions.

Two diplomats in the meeting said a six-nation bloc that had spearheaded demands for explicit conditions on trade with India was splintering and other significant nations that had expressed reservations, such as Japan and Canada, had now dropped them. But another diplomat said the "like-minded" bloc of Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands was holding firm, with backing from China.

CLOCK TICKING ON DEAL

With the outcome still unclear and likely to require consultations in capitals for a final decision, diplomats said another meeting might have to be held later this month.

Without NSG action in early September, the U.S. Congress may run out of time to ratify the deal before it adjourns at the end of the month for autumn elections, leaving the matter to an uncertain fate under a new president.

India has ruled out major conditions on an NSG exemption in order to protect its strategic nuclear sovereignty.

Washington and some allies assert the U.S.-India deal will move the world's largest democracy towards the non-proliferation mainstream and fight global warming by furthering the use of low-polluting nuclear energy in developing economies.

Critics fear India could use access to nuclear markets abroad to boost its atomic bomb programme and drive nuclear rival and fellow NPT outsider Pakistan into an arms race.

To forestall this, they demanded clauses specifying no trade in the event of another nuclear test explosion, no transfers of fuel-enrichment technology that could be replicated for bomb-making, and periodic reviews of the waiver. Some diplomats said U.S. insertions into the revised waiver text suggesting, though not spelling out, that trade with India would be cut off if it tested another nuclear weapon had swayed most hold-outs in the secretive nuclear cartel.

The changes also indicated India was "voluntarily committed" to NSG guidelines against exporting "dual use" enrichment equipment that can yield peaceful nuclear energy or bomb fuel.

 

[nitesh]

NSG waiver has to fit PM's word to parliament: Pranab- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times

NSG waiver has to fit PM's word to parliament: Pranab
4 Sep, 2008, 1623 hrs IST, IANS

NEW DELHI: As the Nuclear Suppliers Group begins its two-day meeting in Vienna on Thursday, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said India cannot agree to anything in the NSG waiver which goes beyond Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "commitment to parliament".

Mukherjee also underlined that the waiver will be guided by the India-US 123 bilateral civil nuclear agreement, India's safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the draft of exemption circulated by the US to the 45 NSG member-countries for discussion at their conclave in Vienna.

"We have already stated what our commitment is. We cannot go beyond our commitment to parliament, commitment made by the prime minister and commitment made by ourselves," Mukherjee told senior journalist Kalyani Shankar in an interview which will be aired by All India Radio Thursday night.

"Therefore, whatever we have committed to it, it will have to be achieved within that," Mukherjee underlined.

He, however, declined to speculate on the outcome of the NSG meeting that is likely to decide by Friday whether or not to bring India back into global nuclear trade by giving it a clean waiver.

"We have tried to meet our commitment made by our prime minister, made by me, in all the documents which we have entered into in connection with the civil nuclear cooperation," he said while alluding to the 123 agreement between India and the US, India's specific safeguards agreement with IAEA and also the revised text of waiver in the NSG.

Mukherjee's remarks reinforce "red lines" drawn by India in the proposed NSG waiver on issues that are critical to India entering into full civilian nuclear cooperation without compromising the country's strategic deterrence.

The minister's assurance, however, does not square up with "secret" correspondence, made public Wednesday, by the Bush administration to the Congress that the US will terminate fuel supplies to India immediately if New Delhi conducted a nuclear test.

The disclosure, coming as it did on the eve of the NSG meet, rekindled hostility by opposition parties in India who seized on the correspondence to accuse the Manmohan Singh government of betraying parliament on the crucial issue of testing.

Mukherjee struck a cautious note when asked whether he was confident about the US Congress clearing the 123 agreement in view of time constraints in the run-up to the November presidential elections. "That will depend on the calendar of the US Congress," was all he would say.

The minister also stressed that regardless of the fate of the India-US nuclear deal the strategic ties between the two countries will continue to "develop steadily".

"Our relationship is not uni-dimensional or uni-directional. We have relationship on many other areas. It is a part of it," he said.

"Improvement of Indo-US relationship has a strong bipartisan support. Therefore, I do feel that whoever occupies the office of president after the election, our relationship between India and USA will steadily develop," he added.

 

[nitesh]

NSG nod must for PM to avoid domestic wrath-Europe-World-The Times of India

NSG nod must for PM to avoid domestic wrath
4 Sep 2008, 1515 hrs IST, Indrani Bagchi,TNN

VIENNA: India's prime time nuclear soap opera is back on centrestage and pressure on all sides is relentless. If the India nuclear deal does not make it this week at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the domestic repercussions for Manmohan Singh's government would be huge. This realisation means the sense of optimism that marked the last meeting is conspicuous by its absence this time round.

But there are no clear predictions yet about whether the nuclear waiver will make it through the 45-member group. The "waiver holdouts" remain where they were, though many of them are privately beginning to sweat a little under the collar, as these small countries have become sitting ducks for negative diplomacy by both India and the US.

Indian leaders have spent the last couple of days telling themselves that they were "hopeful" but not "confident." Even the US state department on Tuesday hinted at "continuing" the dialogue with the NSG. The spokesperson said, "We're going to continue to work within the group and work with individual states to try to move it forward"

"...We're not giving up the ship at all. It's a very tight series of deadlines that were out there, in terms of working this through the international system, working it through our Congress," Sean McCormack said. "But, again, there's a lot of hard diplomacy that goes -- goes into that in getting a consensus within the group" indicating that it was not yet in the bag.

On the brighter side, countries like New Zealand and Austria have both sent out diplomatic feelers that they were looking for a way out of their tight corners. Therefore, it is possible that these and other countries like the Netherlands may be brought around with a tough-sounding "exhortary" statement by the chairman, Germany, at the end of the NSG plenary. The chairman's statement would take into account all the "concerns" certainly to put on record that they were there.

One complicating factor for all the naysayers is China outing itself in its opposition to the deal. Numerous diplomats have affirmed that over the past months, Chinese officials have always showed up in any nuclear discussion at any forum to softly push the non-proliferationists' agenda. That was fine as long as they were doing this kind of diplomacy in the background and leaving the Left parties in India to lead the charge domestically. But two things have happened. First, China, if it cements its opposition to the deal (and many officials here maintain that they would not be an "obstacle") would stand out as the only P-5 country to do so. Second, it would put on record their "rivalry" with India, which would not look good particularly as the Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi comes here to reaffirm a message of "partnership".

But here's where it becomes difficult for smaller countries like Austria and New Zealand. By openly abusing the US and the deal in a People's Daily editorial, the Chinese have effectively moved the debate from upholding non-proliferation norms to "great powers" politics. And that means all the recalcitrant six from Austria, Ireland, Norway, Finland and New Zealand, would need to look at the nuclear deal with very different eyes, since all belong to the US-friendly bloc.

But even if the smaller countries are having second thoughts, significant parts of the US government are in open revolt. According to sources in Washington, as the nuclear deal nears completion in the evening of Bush's term, the non-proliferation jihadis are using every means at their disposal to make things difficult for the deal. Not only are officials apparently openly using the screechy chorus of non-proliferation warriors in think tanks like Arms Control Association and Carnegie Endowment to push their line. For instance, Daryl Kimball of the ACA is close to being hysterical. In a press briefing on Tuesday in Washington, he said, "The current proposal is still unsound, it's still irresponsible, it should be rejected." "

"It is extraordinarily important for these states to stand their ground to protect the tattered nuclear non-proliferation system," he said. Sources in Washington said, the likes of Kimball were being egged on by officials who cannot openly say these things because they're still in government. On the Hill, Howard Berman, head of the House foreign relations committee released a supposedly secret letter which the administration had written to the Congress in early 2008 that said the US would not share sensitive technology with India and would cut off cooperation if India tested another nuclear device. Thereby asking NSG countries to keep their tough line on India.

All of this has the potential to derail the deal at this late stage. Because India will not accept certain key conditions and could, with difficulty, walk away. Diplomats in many countries are now asking - will that improve the non-proliferation regime that they are so desperate to save?

Will there be a decision this time round? It’s an answer that’s not yet blowing in the wind.

 

[nitesh]

US agrees to changes in nuclear trade waiver for India - Summary : US World

Vienna - The United States has pledged to change its proposal for exempting India from international export control rules, sources close to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) said Thursday, in order to find a consensus among nuclear-exporting countries soon. Sources close to the NSG, which sets international nuclear export control standards, said several members were still critical of US drafts for a trade exemption tabled so far, as they did not include a provision for measures in case India tested a nuclear weapon.

"I believe that we are making steady progress in this process, and we will continue to make progress," US Undersecretary for Political Affairs William Burns told reporters.

"And while a number of representatives here have raised important questions that need to be addressed, our discussions have been constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus," he said.

Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland are among the most vocal of the 45 NSG members in calling for amendments, as they seek to balance an exemption for India with strengthening the global non-proliferation regime.

One source close to the negotiations said the flexibility shown by the US was "a great success."

"It seems the Americans understand that we still have work ahead of us," he said.

Lobbying for the export exemption is part of Washington's 2005 nuclear deal with New Delhi, which is seen as a cornerstone in improving relations between the two countries.

The Bush administration is pushing for an NSG decision this week, so that the US Congress can ratify the bilateral agreement before it goes into recess ahead of the presidential election.

While some participants at the meeting said they were confident they could reach a consensus this week, others said it depended on whether Washington and New Delhi were prepared to take steps to accommodate countries seeking amendments.

Indian officials have said that mentioning nuclear testing in the NSG exemption was a red line that should not be crossed.

New Delhi is demanding an unconditional exception from current nuclear trade rules, which deny exports to countries like India that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The US was putting "great pressure" on the six most critical countries to agree quickly to a trade exemption, a source said.

As of Thursday morning, the US draft incorporated only two of the more than 50 amendments proposed by 20 NSG members at a first meeting on India in August.

A clause on transparency about trade with India, and a provision for NSG consultations if "circumstances have arisen which require consultations," were added to the original draft, according to a copy of the text published Wednesday by the Arms Control Association in Washington.

Meanwhile a fresh political row has broken out in India over the nuclear deal, with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and left-wing parties demanding the resignation of Premier Manmohan Singh for misleading parliament on the agreement with the US.

The BJP made the demand after Wednesday's disclosure of correspondence between the Bush administration and Congress, which said the US had no intention of selling sensitive nuclear technology to India, and nuclear commerce would be immediately halted if Delhi tested a nuclear weapon.

In a reaction to the outcry from the political parties, the Indian Foreign Office said New Delhi would be guided "solely" by the terms of the bilateral nuclear agreement, the India-specific inspection agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the waiver from the NSG.

 

[nitesh]

Mulford meets Narayanan, Kakodkar

As the US disclosures on the nuclear deal triggered a political storm, American Ambassador David C Mulford today met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and other officials in the Prime Minister's Office and is understood to have discussed the issue.
Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar was also present during the meeting between Narayanan and Mulford, and the US envoy is believed to have told them that the details in the document which triggered the controversy had already been shared with India.

The US Department of State disclosures that it will stop fuel supplies and other nuclear cooperation if India conducts a nuclear test set off a controversy with opposition BJP and the Left parties launching a strident attack on the UPA government.

Mulford had sought to down play the disclosures made in the State Department document saying there was nothing new in it which has not been shared with India or the US Congress.

"This letter contains no new conditions and there is no data in this letter which has not already been shared in an open and transparent way with members of the Congress and with the Government of India," he said.

In controversial disclosures, the US has made it clear that it will stop fuel supplies and other nuclear cooperation if India conducts a nuclear test.

The US position, which appears at variance with New Delhi's interpretation of some key clauses of Indo-US nuclear deal, was made public just before the two-day meeting of the 45-nation NSG which will consider a waiver that will enable India do nuclear commerce.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

"When Washington is clear about its own benchmarks for [nuclear] trade with India, why should the NSG be asked to settle for something less?" said a diplomat from another country.

Because if India violated US conditions, India would still continue to trade with the remaining NSG members, and therefore suffer no major sanctions or disruptions.

The US would then argue to Congress that unilateral sanctions from the US were only hurting US businesses and economic interests, while India's nuclear capability suffered no adverse effects as the remainder of the NSG members supplied whatever technology and/or business the US denied.

The US would most likely then pass a waiver to the Hyde act for India, and business as usual would continue.

 

[nitesh]

Publication | Indian Publication News | Indian Publication Aggregator | Regional Publication News | Leading Publications India

CNN-IBN
Thu, Sep 04, 2008 at 12:13,
New Delhi: A day after a secret letter from the United States of America's State Department revealed how it plans to terminate the Indo-US nuclear deal if India conducts a nuclear test, the BJP has slammed the UPA Government for 'misleading' the country.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has asked for a Parliament session to be called immediately to move breach of privilege motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for "misleading" the two Houses on the nuclear deal.

“BJP demands that there should be a session of Parliament within the shortest possible time. Call a session after giving a notice of one week so that we are enabled to move a breach of privilege notice against the Prime Minister and his government,” Sinha said while addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday.

Sinha also demanded that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government quit immediately on the nuclear deal issue.

“We demand that this government has no business to continue in office and that they should leave immediately. If they do so then there is no need of a Parliament session but if they don't do so then a parliament session should be immediately called for because this is a very, very serious issue. This is no ordinary communication. This is a communication from the responsible official of the Bush administration to the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We cannot ignore the US Congress in any matter. It will be a fatal mistake on our part to ignore the views and the opinion of the US congress because ultimately what will prevail is the view of the Congress and not the view of the administration,” he said.

The BJP also charged Manmohan Singh of misleading the nation and for not presenting all the details of the nuclear deal before the nation.

“This document says the 123 Agreement is rooted in the Hyde Act. It derives itself from the Hyde Act and it is in complete conformity with the Hyde Act. So Hyde Act is not only relevant but it is binding on the 123 Agreement. If it is binding on the 123 Agreement then it is binding on us. India cannot escape the rigours of the Hyde Act,” Sinha explained.

The BJP leader, who held the portfolios of the Finance Ministry and the External Affaisr Ministry in the National Democratic Alliance Government, also said, “This letter was written nine months ago to Tom Lantos who was the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. In February he died and then Howard Berman become the Chairperson. Some months back Bush administration has asked the US Congress not to make public any correspondence between India and US related to the nuclear deal.”

“At the time we smelt that something was wrong. Now it is clear that the Bush administration wanted to keep this letter confidential. If this 26-page letter had been made public before July 26, 2008 (the day of the trust vote) then the Manmohan Singh Government would not have survived. We have serious objections to this as it is not the role of the US to save a government in India or to make sure that it falls. This is India's internal matter. This letter should have been made public in a transparent way,” he added.

The Left, too, is slamming the Manmohan Singh Government, saying it has gone back on its promise.

“The letter clearly shows that this act is deeply in accordance with the Hyde Act and the Manmohan Singh Government has clearly practiced a deceit on the people. This deal will clearly compromise with the Indian sovereign autonomy and will sacrifice the sovereignty of the nation," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said.

CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said, "This government is cheating the people of India on the nuclear deal issue. We knew this three months back."

The State Department letter has confirmed that if India tested a nuclear device all nuclear trade with New Delhi would be immediately terminated.

The nine-month old letter was published in the Washington Post on Wednesday and was made public by influential Congressman and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman.

The letter covers 45 highly technical questions and was never made public apparently because it could have toppled the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government.

Berman has released State Department's answers to 45 questions on the deal, which indicate clearly differing perceptions on key issues between New Delhi and Washington.

The questions were submitted to the State Department by Lantos in October 2007 and answers were sent on January 16, 2008.

 

[nitesh]

Because if India violated US conditions, India would still continue to trade with the remaining NSG members, and therefore suffer no major sanctions or disruptions.

The US would then argue to Congress that unilateral sanctions from the US were only hurting US businesses and economic interests, while India's nuclear capability suffered no adverse effects as the remainder of the NSG members supplied whatever technology and/or business the US denied.

The US would most likely then pass a waiver to the Hyde act for India, and business as usual would continue.

But this will put US in a high moral ground then other NSG members who will continue trading with india so US can put pressure on them to stop the trade with India. Why US only should have that privilage. Other would also like to have it

 

[nitesh]

UPDATE 2-US says nuclear states nearing deal on India trade | Markets | Reuters

UPDATE 2-US says nuclear states nearing deal on India trade
Thu Sep 4, 2008 2:32pm BST

(adds Indian uproar over U.S. testimony on trade conditions)

By Mark Heinrich

VIENNA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday nuclear supplier nations were making progress towards agreement on lifting a ban on trade with India.

Washington had moved to meet objections from some members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

U.S. officials, racing to finalise a U.S.-Indian atomic energy deal, have been lobbying others in the 45-nation NSG for a one-time waiver to its rules against doing business with states outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Barring NSG action in early September, the U.S. Congress may run out of time to ratify the deal before it adjourns at the end of the month for autumn elections, leaving the matter to an uncertain fate under a new president.

Ahead of a two-day NSG meeting that began on Thursday, some members said changes made to the U.S. waiver draft were cosmetic and did not allay concerns the deal could subvert treaties meant to stop the production or testing of nuclear weapons.

In a sign of its desire to save a major Bush administration initiative, Washington sent its No. 3 diplomat, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, to Vienna to head the U.S. NSG delegation.

"We are making steady progress in this process and will continue to make progress," he said outside the closed meeting.

"And while a number of representatives here have raised important questions that need to be addressed, our discussions have been constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus," Burns told reporters. He took no questions.

With the outcome still unclear and likely to require consultations in capitals for a final decision, diplomats said another meeting might have to be held later this month.

Washington and some allies assert the U.S.-India deal will move the world's largest democracy towards the non-proliferation mainstream and fight global warming by furthering the use of low-polluting nuclear energy in major developing economies.

NON-PROLIFERATION STANDARDS AT STAKE

NSG critics fear India could use access to nuclear material markets to indirectly boost its bomb programme and drive nuclear rival and fellow NPT outsider Pakistan into another arms race.

To forestall this, they demanded clauses specifying no trade in the event of another nuclear test explosion, no transfers of fuel-enrichment technology that could be replicated for bomb-making, and periodic reviews of the waiver.

Some diplomats said resistance to the U.S. proposal had been markedly reduced by U.S. insertions into the latest waiver text indicating, though not spelling out, that trade with India would be cut off if it tested another nuclear weapon.

The new version also said that India, to obtain NSG nuclear cooperation, had "voluntarily" committed to the cartel's guidelines against exporting "dual-use" enrichment hardware.

Two diplomats in the meeting said the unity of six nations that had spearheaded demands for explicit terms on India trade was cracking and other major nations that had voiced some reservations, such as Japan and Canada, had now dropped them.

But another diplomat said the "like-minded" bloc of Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands was holding together, with significant backing from China.

India has ruled out major conditions on an NSG exemption in order to protect its strategic nuclear sovereignty.

But India's ruling coalition is vulnerable to opposition complaints about a "sellout" of its strategic autonomy in the U.S. deal. It drew renewed fire on Thursday over a leak of secret Bush administration testimony assuring Congress that another test would swiftly stop U.S. nuclear trade with India.

The government refused comment on the leaked testimony and said it stood by its decade-old unilateral moratorium on tests, but that India would retain a right to test should it want to. (Additional reporting by Krittivas Mukherjee in New Delhi; Editing by Giles Elgood)

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

But this will put US in a high moral ground then other NSG members who will continue trading with india so US can put pressure on them to stop the trade with India. Why US only should have that privilage. Other would also like to have it

Morality does not govern international relations (otherwise you would see tremendous pressure on India from the world to give the Kashmiris the right to self determination)- interests do. And economic interests with India, and strategic interests with respect to China, would trump any 'morality'.

A waiver in the current US legislature is not possible, but down the road, if the NSG passes the deal without conditions, the fact that the rest of the world woudl continue to deal with India, while US businesses suffered, would probably ensure a congressional waiver in the US for India.

It might take time, but the waiver will happen - we know the waiver will hapen because it did in the case of the sanctions applied on India and Pakistan after their nuclear tests.

Heck, if you put this agreement in the context of the nuclear tests, the world has gone beyond just waiving sanctions - the world is in fact rewarding India. So waivers a little bit after India violates the conditions of the agreement, especially if they are one sided (only from the US side, and not in the NSG deal) will not be too late in coming.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Nitesh - please do not post so many articles without comments, when nothing major is occurring at this point.

Just give links and quote some of the more factual comments and statements from relevant sources.

We want to have a discussion, not become a repository for articles.

 

[nitesh]

Nitesh - please do not post so many articles without comments, when nothing major is occurring at this point.

Just give links and quote some of the more factual comments and statements from relevant sources.

We want to have a discussion, not become a repository for articles.

I was doing that only AM, but you deleted it

The Hindu News Update Service

US reports 'steady progress' at NSG; Some seek changes in draft

Vienna (PTI): The US on Thursday said "steady progress" was being made to rope in NSG members to end India's nuclear isolation as some countries insisted on inclusion of a specific commitment in the draft waiver for stopping nuclear cooperation if New Delhi conducts an atomic test.

Raising their concerns at the two-day Nuclear Suppliers Group's meeting here, some countries felt India could use the NSG exemption to further its military nuclear programme with suggestions being made for changes even in the revised draft waiver placed by the US before the 45-nation cartel.

A number of countries like New Zealand, Austria, Norway, Ireland, The Netherlands and Switzerland were not satisfied with the present draft even as the US pushed for a consensus by projecting the waiver as a "historic opportunity" to bring the largest democracy and one of the biggest economies into the global nuclear mainstream.

The first day of the crucial meeting saw sceptic countries demand a commitment in the draft that nuclear cooperation will end if India conducts a nuclear test and favoured denial of enrichment and reprocessing rights to New Delhi.

"The US believes firmly that the steps we are considering for India will strengthen non-proliferation and help to welcome one of the world's largest economies and biggest democracies more fully into the global fold," American Undersecretary of State William Burns told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting.

"I believe we are making steady progress in this process and we will continue to make progress," he said.

The US official described the discussions as "constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus."

A number of countries raised "important questions that need to be addressed," Burns said.

Underlining that there was a "historic opportunity" to end India's three decades of isolation in the nuclear field, he said "that opportunity warrants extraordinary efforts we are making."

He said the US is determined to continue to do "all we can by working with NSG partners and India to realise that opportunity."

Two sessions of the meeting were held today with a big four-hour break during which the diplomats are believed to have consulted their respective governments over the draft.

The revised draft was prepared by the US in consultation with India after at least 15 countries sought amendments in the original text during the last NSG meeting on August 21-22.

"There are concerns about (nuclear) testing," said a European diplomat who attended the first day of the two-day meeting.

"The reprocessing facility is not available to even some countries which have signed the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty then why should the exemption be made for India which is not a signatory to the NPT. Such are the questions," the diplomat said requesting anonymity.

Another diplomat, who also did not wish to be identified, said changes were required to be made in the present draft to meet concerns of the countries.

An official of one of the sceptic countries said they recognise India's need for energy and the importance New Delhi attaches to the civil nuclear deal with the US.

"(But) we want results that will benefit everybody ... a number of measures need to be added to the current package before it can be considered to be a net gain for the world," the official said.

Appearing to suggest that India should sign the NPT "which is the pillar of international security architecture" he said the waiver should "improve" non-proliferation system rather than "undermine" it.

India is keeping its "fingers crossed" and hoping that the US would be able to convince the nuclear cartel for clearing the way for nuclear commerce.

My comment: I don't think it is going anywhere from here, practically deal seems to be dead. But any way wait and watch

 

[nitesh]

Morality does not govern international relations (otherwise you would see tremendous pressure on India from the world to give the Kashmiris the right to self determination)- interests do. And economic interests with India, and strategic interests with respect to China, would trump any 'morality'.

A waiver in the current US legislature is not possible, but down the road, if the NSG passes the deal without conditions, the fact that the rest of the world woudl continue to deal with India, while US businesses suffered, would probably ensure a congressional waiver in the US for India.

It might take time, but the waiver will happen - we know the waiver will hapen because it did in the case of the sanctions applied on India and Pakistan after their nuclear tests.

Heck, if you put this agreement in the context of the nuclear tests, the world has gone beyond just waiving sanctions - the world is in fact rewarding India. So waivers a little bit after India violates the conditions of the agreement, especially if they are one sided (only from the US side, and not in the NSG deal) will not be too late in coming.

In case if and only if the agreement gets passed right now or for that matter in the next meeting the US will convene a meeting in december and get it ratified but the concerns of other countries must and should be taken care of. Going by the current situation obviously other countries would not like to get India some special treatment until they are significantly gaining in terms of economy. SO it seems to be in jeopardy as of now.

 

[Energon]

Morality does not govern international relations (otherwise you would see tremendous pressure on India from the world to give the Kashmiris the right to self determination)- interests do. And economic interests with India, and strategic interests with respect to China, would trump any 'morality'.

A waiver in the current US legislature is not possible, but down the road, if the NSG passes the deal without conditions, the fact that the rest of the world woudl continue to deal with India, while US businesses suffered, would probably ensure a congressional waiver in the US for India.

It might take time, but the waiver will happen - we know the waiver will hapen because it did in the case of the sanctions applied on India and Pakistan after their nuclear tests.

Heck, if you put this agreement in the context of the nuclear tests, the world has gone beyond just waiving sanctions - the world is in fact rewarding India. So waivers a little bit after India violates the conditions of the agreement, especially if they are one sided (only from the US side, and not in the NSG deal) will not be too late in coming.

This is true, it is economic and other interests that matter eventually. However this has been the nature of global affairs practically since the dawn of time, so none of this is out of the ordinary by any means.

Also, this knife cuts both ways, and India learnt that lesson a long time ago and reversed the nature of the situation. Only in recent times on account of the economic buildup has the situation changed; otherwise it was India who was generally getting the short end of the stick.