WASHINGTON: The chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Lugar, said on Thursday that the civilian nuclear energy deal between India and the U.S. was the ``most important strategic initiative'' undertaken by the Bush administration.

The Committee, which later in the day endorsed legislation to ratify the deal, discussed whether to make exemptions in the 1954 Atomic Energy Act to enable the U.S. to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India in return for non-proliferation and safeguard commitments.

In his opening remarks to the Committee, released hours before the sitting, Mr. Lugar said that by concluding this pact and the far-reaching set of cooperative agreements that accompanied it, U.S. President George W. Bush ``embraced a long-term outlook'' that sought to enhance the core strength of the country's foreign policy in a way that would give it ``new diplomatic options and improve global stability.''

Provisions

The Republican Senator also outlined provisions of the Bill that, in his view, significantly strengthened the proposals first advanced by the administration especially as it related to Congressional oversight and procedures.

Noting that the deal allowed India to access nuclear fuel, technology and reactors from the U.S., which were earlier denied, as New Delhi did not ratify the NPT, Mr. Lugar said Washington would ensure that the civilian nuclear agreement would not ``undercut'' its responsibilities under the Treaty.

"... The agreement can be a lasting incentive for India to abstain from further nuclear weapons tests and to cooperate closely with the United States in stopping proliferation,'' he said.

Mr. Lugar said the deal resulted in the improvement of relations between the two countries and the U.S. was strategically benefited by it.

``India's votes at the IAEA on the Iran issue last September and this past February demonstrate that New Delhi is able and willing to adjust its traditional foreign policies and play a constructive role on international issues,'' he said.

The Bill, introduced by Mr. Lugar and Ranking Member Joseph Biden, gives voice to a set of important policy issues involving bilateral relations, democratic values, nuclear non-proliferation regimes, fissile material production in South Asia, and support for IAEA safeguards and the Nuclear Suppliers' Group.

It removes the prohibition on cooperating with India imposed after its 1998 nuclear tests.

Section 129 of the Atomic Energy Act, which is preserved under the Lugar-Biden Bill, terminates nuclear cooperation if India conducts a nuclear test, proliferates nuclear weapons or materials, or breaks its agreements with the IAEA or the U.S.

Non-proliferation efforts

``In addition, we require that decisions in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group enabling nuclear trade with India are made by consensus and consistent with its rules. Our aim is to guarantee that this multilateral organisation will continue to play a vital role in global non-proliferation efforts.''

Another provision of the Bill supports the timely consideration of nuclear export applications, but prohibits the export of equipment, material or technology related to the enrichment of uranium, the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, or the production of heavy water.

The Bill also envisages the creation of a system to ensure that ``no items exported to India are diverted to any uses that are not peaceful. — PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail