07-19-2008, 07:13 PM
<b>Top Indian scientists attack United States nuclear deal</b>
* Believe accord will harm Indiaâs commercial and military interests
NEW DELHI: Three of Indiaâs most respected atomic scientists on Friday criticised a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, saying it would have âserious repercussionsâ for their country. The government says the deal, signed in 2005, will give India access to nuclear technology it needs to help meet its rapidly rising demand for energy.
Harming interests: But a joint statement issued by three scientists who have worked on Indiaâs nuclear programme warned the deal was loaded with stipulations that could destroy the countryâs commercial and military interests. The scientists â former Atomic Energy Commission chairman PK Iyengar, the ex-chief of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board A Gopalakrishnan and AN Prasad, former head of Bhabha Atomic Research Board â sent their message by fax to all lawmakers.
The statement comes days before MPs will participate in a parliamentary confidence vote, triggered following the Communist partyâs withdrawal of support from the governing coalition partner because of the deal. âOnce the deal is in place, it is clear that Indiaâs commercial interactions with the US, as well as with any other countries, will be firmly controlled from Washington,â the statement said.
The scientists urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to launch âlong-ranging and structured deliberations to develop a broad consensusâ on the deal. They warned the agreement was a virtual minefield for India. âThe deal could have other serious repercussions, including a potential weakening of Indiaâs nuclear deterrent and an ability to protect and promote indigenous research and development efforts in nuclear technology,â they said.
The scientists said the agreement was vague on Indiaâs quest to reprocess spent fuel for plutonium for its mushrooming fast breeder reactors.âThere will be a large number of safeguards and additional protocol issues related to this, and all these hurdles will have to be crossed to reach the beginning of reprocessing,â the 10-point statement said. Part of the deal involves India allowing the UN atomic body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to subject the countryâs civilian nuclear sites to international controls for the first time. afp
* Believe accord will harm Indiaâs commercial and military interests
NEW DELHI: Three of Indiaâs most respected atomic scientists on Friday criticised a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, saying it would have âserious repercussionsâ for their country. The government says the deal, signed in 2005, will give India access to nuclear technology it needs to help meet its rapidly rising demand for energy.
Harming interests: But a joint statement issued by three scientists who have worked on Indiaâs nuclear programme warned the deal was loaded with stipulations that could destroy the countryâs commercial and military interests. The scientists â former Atomic Energy Commission chairman PK Iyengar, the ex-chief of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board A Gopalakrishnan and AN Prasad, former head of Bhabha Atomic Research Board â sent their message by fax to all lawmakers.
The statement comes days before MPs will participate in a parliamentary confidence vote, triggered following the Communist partyâs withdrawal of support from the governing coalition partner because of the deal. âOnce the deal is in place, it is clear that Indiaâs commercial interactions with the US, as well as with any other countries, will be firmly controlled from Washington,â the statement said.
The scientists urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to launch âlong-ranging and structured deliberations to develop a broad consensusâ on the deal. They warned the agreement was a virtual minefield for India. âThe deal could have other serious repercussions, including a potential weakening of Indiaâs nuclear deterrent and an ability to protect and promote indigenous research and development efforts in nuclear technology,â they said.
The scientists said the agreement was vague on Indiaâs quest to reprocess spent fuel for plutonium for its mushrooming fast breeder reactors.âThere will be a large number of safeguards and additional protocol issues related to this, and all these hurdles will have to be crossed to reach the beginning of reprocessing,â the 10-point statement said. Part of the deal involves India allowing the UN atomic body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to subject the countryâs civilian nuclear sites to international controls for the first time. afp