U.S. opposes Russian nuclear fuel for India

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 17. The U.S. has said that it deeply regrets Russian plan to ship nuclear fuel to India and says that this is in violation of Moscow's obligations as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

``As a member of the 39-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, Russia is committed not to engage in nuclear cooperation with any country that does not have comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) safeguards on all its nuclear facilities. Although India's Tarapur reactors are under IAEA safeguards, India does not have such safeguards on all of its facilities and is indeed pursuing a nuclear weapons programme'', the State Department's deputy spokesman, Mr. Philip Reeker, said. The Department said that at a meeting last December of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the overwhelming majority of members expressed strong concern over Russia's plan.

Washington called on Moscow to cancel the supply arrangement and live up to its non-proliferation goals saying in the process that ``Russia's disregard of its Nuclear Supplier Group commitments, together with its sensitive nuclear assistance to Iran, raises serious questions about its support for the goal of preventing nuclear proliferation''.

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Section  : International
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