Front Page

Key Democrat threatens to block India-U.S. nuclear deal

Washington: A powerful United States Democrat has threatened to block the India-U.S. nuclear deal in Congress if the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver does not provide for terminating the accord if India conducts an atomic test.

Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the deal should be shelved till January next as there was not enough time for Congress to study it by September 8 when it is scheduled to meet next.

The key lawmaker warned that a waiver by the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) “inconsistent” with the Hyde Act would “jeopardise” the deal in Congress.

The NSG is expected to meet on August 21 to consider granting India a one time waiver to facilitate India resume nuclear commerce, while the Bush administration is attempting to fast track the deal by planning to bring it before Congress around September 8. India is pressing for a clean and unconditional waiver from the NSG.

The Congressional panel will examine the 123 Agreement when it is presented to Congress for its approval.

“I am a friend of India and a supporter of U.S.-India nuclear cooperation. Yet I find it incomprehensible that the administration apparently intends to seek or accept an exemption from the NSG guidelines for India with few or none of the conditions contained in the Henry J. Hyde Act,” Mr. Berman said in the letter made public on Wednesday.

While seeking a NSG waiver, Mr. Berman said it must be ensured that exemptions agreed reflected the conditions of the Hyde Act.

“An exemption inconsistent with the U.S. law will place American firms at a severe competitive disadvantage and undermine critical U.S. non-proliferation objectives. It will also jeopardise congressional support for nuclear cooperation with India in future,” he said.

The administration must be mindful of several key things such as the immediate termination of all nuclear commerce by the NSG member-States if India detonated a nuclear explosive device or if the IAEA determined that India had violated its safeguards commitments, he said.

“In your appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee on February 13 of this year, you assured me that any NSG decision ‘will have to be completely consistent with the obligations of the Hyde Act’,” Mr. Berman reminded Ms Rice.

“As such, I expect you to instruct the U.S. representative to the NSG not to seek or support any exemption for India that does not faithfully reflect all of the Hyde Act conditions,” he said. — PTI

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu