The Hindu : Front Page : U.S. Senators set July-end timeline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

U.S. Senators set July-end timeline

Sandeep Dikshit

NEW DELHI: India must complete all necessary steps to conclude the nuclear deal by July-end to ensure that the U.S. Congress approves it before the presidential election. “Otherwise, it will be very difficult for Congress to ratify it. If it is not ratified by Congress by July end, there is no prospect,” three influential Senators from the United States told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an interaction on Wednesday.

This is the first time a timeline for the deal has been set, though several from the U.S. administration, including Ambassador David Mulford, had repeatedly said time was running out for the deal.

India is at present negotiating a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency and it has to obtain an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group before the deal goes to Congress.

After meeting Dr. Singh, Senators Joseph Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel told presspersons that it was “highly unlikely” that the next President would be able to present the deal in the present format.

“A number of Senators were prepared to vote [for the deal] though they didn’t think it was as good as it should have been,” said Mr. Biden, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

‘It has to happen’

“Their reluctance over substance was overcome by their belief of India-U.S. relationship,” said Mr. Kerry. “In order to be able to have time [for the deal] to be passed in the Senate, we really probably have to receive it in May. So, I think, somewhere in the next weeks the decision has got to happen.”

Once received in Congress by May, the deal could be listed for voting before it rises by July-end for the autumn break. After it reconvenes, there would be just 20 sittings before the Presidential poll takes place.

The Senators do not expect the deal to figure in the post-autumn session as Congress would be preoccupied with domestic issues.

The Senators also expressed their apprehensions about India feeling rejected if Congress failed to fit in the deal in the timetable for legislative business.

They reiterated that it was India’s requirement, and others seeking a similar treatment were thwarted.

“You ratified the 123 Agreement. You wanted it badly. You insisted on provisions. Others came to us but we walked away and said ‘no’. India is different, it is not a proliferator,” they said.

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

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section