06-28-2006, 05:39 PM
Be Indian; Buy Indian and Sell Indian
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> India-US nuclear deal clears first hurdle
- Maya Mirchandani
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 (Washington DC):
The landmark Indo-US nuclear deal has sailed through the powerful House International Relations Committee.
The committee approved changes in US law on Tuesday, giving the go ahead to the deal, which allows nuclear cooperation between India and the United States.
The hearing lasted nearly four hours but at the end of it, the legislation, proposed to be cited as the 'United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006', was supported by both Republicans and the Democrats.
The 50 member committee approved by a vote of 37 to 5 the legislation designed to make exemptions in the 1954 Atomic Energy Act to enable US to sell nuclear fuel and technology in return for non-proliferation and safeguard commitments from India.
Under the existing Act, US companies are restricted from engaging in nuclear commerce with countries that are not members of the NPT.
But as expected the Left says it's unhappy with some of the amendments made especially on the non-binding clause, which talks about India supporting the US on foreign policy on Iran.
Be like India
Many on the committee argued that letting India import uranium from the US and other NSG suppliers will free up India's own uranium stock for weapons use, But an amendment calling for India to freeze domestic uranium production for weapons use was defeated during the mark up process.
"We simply cannot use India's strained energy situation, as some advocate, as leverage over the strategic choices New Delhi makes in terms of its own national security and its very national existence," said Tom Lantos, a Democrat.
Others also argued that such a deal would set precedents for other countries to ask for similar favour from the US. But those in favour were clear that this was India specific legislation.
"Clearly countries like Iran, North Korea and Pakistan will be looking for clues as to what this deal would mean for them. I think the message to them is clear. If you want to be treated like India, be like India," said Gary Ackerman, another Democrat.
"Be a responsible international actor with regard to WMD technology. Don't sell your technology to the highest bidder, don't provide it to terrorists, be a democracy," added Ackerman.
Non-proliferation priorities
In a significant departure from the original draft, the new bill ensures that the US Congress will get a second chance to cast a vote on the deal, after the bilateral 123 agreement between the US and India is concluded.
Other conditions that must be met before the deal can come into effect include,
* An agreement between India and the IAEA putting in place safeguards in perpetuity for existing and future nuclear reactors under the civilian programme
* A commitment that India will work actively with the US for an early conclusion of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) and also support international efforts to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technology
* A commitment that India's export control regulations conform to the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR
The Bill asks the US administration to provide detailed descriptions of all the steps India is taking towards these stated objectives.
"Among many provisions, the bill articulates the US non-proliferation priorities to oppose the efforts of any country to develop nuclear weapons capability, to achieve a halt of production of materials for nuclear explosives, and to secure India's full and active cooperation in US non proliferation efforts," said Ileana Ros Lehtinen, a Republican.
The senate committee would go through the same process by the end of this week.
The hope is that the entire US congress of 435 congressmen and women and 100 senators will take their cues from the respective committees and a final vote to amend US law can be scheduled as early as the end of July.
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> India-US nuclear deal clears first hurdle
- Maya Mirchandani
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 (Washington DC):
The landmark Indo-US nuclear deal has sailed through the powerful House International Relations Committee.
The committee approved changes in US law on Tuesday, giving the go ahead to the deal, which allows nuclear cooperation between India and the United States.
The hearing lasted nearly four hours but at the end of it, the legislation, proposed to be cited as the 'United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006', was supported by both Republicans and the Democrats.
The 50 member committee approved by a vote of 37 to 5 the legislation designed to make exemptions in the 1954 Atomic Energy Act to enable US to sell nuclear fuel and technology in return for non-proliferation and safeguard commitments from India.
Under the existing Act, US companies are restricted from engaging in nuclear commerce with countries that are not members of the NPT.
But as expected the Left says it's unhappy with some of the amendments made especially on the non-binding clause, which talks about India supporting the US on foreign policy on Iran.
Be like India
Many on the committee argued that letting India import uranium from the US and other NSG suppliers will free up India's own uranium stock for weapons use, But an amendment calling for India to freeze domestic uranium production for weapons use was defeated during the mark up process.
"We simply cannot use India's strained energy situation, as some advocate, as leverage over the strategic choices New Delhi makes in terms of its own national security and its very national existence," said Tom Lantos, a Democrat.
Others also argued that such a deal would set precedents for other countries to ask for similar favour from the US. But those in favour were clear that this was India specific legislation.
"Clearly countries like Iran, North Korea and Pakistan will be looking for clues as to what this deal would mean for them. I think the message to them is clear. If you want to be treated like India, be like India," said Gary Ackerman, another Democrat.
"Be a responsible international actor with regard to WMD technology. Don't sell your technology to the highest bidder, don't provide it to terrorists, be a democracy," added Ackerman.
Non-proliferation priorities
In a significant departure from the original draft, the new bill ensures that the US Congress will get a second chance to cast a vote on the deal, after the bilateral 123 agreement between the US and India is concluded.
Other conditions that must be met before the deal can come into effect include,
* An agreement between India and the IAEA putting in place safeguards in perpetuity for existing and future nuclear reactors under the civilian programme
* A commitment that India will work actively with the US for an early conclusion of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) and also support international efforts to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technology
* A commitment that India's export control regulations conform to the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR
The Bill asks the US administration to provide detailed descriptions of all the steps India is taking towards these stated objectives.
"Among many provisions, the bill articulates the US non-proliferation priorities to oppose the efforts of any country to develop nuclear weapons capability, to achieve a halt of production of materials for nuclear explosives, and to secure India's full and active cooperation in US non proliferation efforts," said Ileana Ros Lehtinen, a Republican.
The senate committee would go through the same process by the end of this week.
The hope is that the entire US congress of 435 congressmen and women and 100 senators will take their cues from the respective committees and a final vote to amend US law can be scheduled as early as the end of July.