The Hindu : International / India & World : No re-negotiation, says Burns

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 18, 2006

International

International - India & World

No re-negotiation, says Burns

"Pact will not enhance New Delhi's nuclear weapons programme"

Washington: The Bush administration has said that it was against ``re-negotiating'' the ``complex'' nuclear deal with India.

Citing India's good non-proliferation track record, U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns told presspersons that the pact would not enhance New Delhi's nuclear weapons programme or trigger an arms race in the region.

Mr. Burns said though Congress members were welcome to give their suggestions, the administration would not like to re-negotiate the deal.

``This is a complex agreement. To reopen it, we're probably at risk of never being able to achieve it again and to re-assemble it. So what we've said to members of Congress who have raised this with us is that we welcome all ideas. There may be ideas that do not require re-negotiation that may help to reinforce or strengthen this agreement. We're open to all of them. But we wish not to re-negotiate,'' he said.

Russian decision

Maintaining the U.S.' opposition to Russia's decision to supply uranium for the Tarapur plant, Mr. Burns said the ``proper way'' was to wait for the U.S. to change its laws to facilitate implementation of the historic nuclear deal and the Nuclear Suppliers Group to change its practices. — PTI

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