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US-India accord sent to Congress India begins nuclear trade pacts
(about 8 hours later)
US President George W Bush has sent a landmark civilian nuclear deal with India to the Congress for final approval, the White House has said. India is completing pacts with France, Russia and other countries for the import of civilian nuclear power plants, foreign ministry officials say.
The controversial deal needs to be ratified by the US Congress before it can be implemented. The announcement follows a move by the Nuclear Suppliers Group to lift a ban that had stopped India from getting access to the global atomic market.
A group of nations regulating global nuclear trade has already approved a US proposal to lift restrictions on selling nuclear technology to India. Officials say that pacts will only be completed once the US Congress approves a civilian nuclear deal with India.
India says the deal is vital for it to meet its civil energy demands. The deal has now been sent by President Bush to Congress for ratification.
Critics of the deal say it creates a dangerous precedent - effectively allowing India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must. 'Dangerous precedent'
"Following the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) statement which enables civil nuclear cooperation by NSG members with India, the government is taking steps to realise commercial cooperation with foreign partners," foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.
Indian PM Manmohan Singh has described the deal as "momentous"
He said that Delhi was moving towards bilateral agreements with "friendly partner countries such as France and Russia".
Officials say that the deals with both countries are ready for signing.
India says the deal with the US is vital for it to meet its civil energy demands.
But critics say it creates a dangerous precedent - effectively allowing India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must.
They say the deal would undermine the arguments for isolating Iran over its nuclear programme and be a disaster for international non-proliferation efforts.They say the deal would undermine the arguments for isolating Iran over its nuclear programme and be a disaster for international non-proliferation efforts.
The agreement is the centrepiece of US efforts to bolster ties with India.The agreement is the centrepiece of US efforts to bolster ties with India.
However, the Bush administration must attempt to rush it through Congress before legislators break to prepare for November's elections - held at the same time as the presidential vote.However, the Bush administration must attempt to rush it through Congress before legislators break to prepare for November's elections - held at the same time as the presidential vote.
'Peaceful cooperation''Peaceful cooperation'
The White House said in a statement that it was sending the text of the agreement to the lawmakers, who have returned to work on Monday. Late on Wednesday, the White House said in a statement that it was sending the text of the agreement to lawmakers, who returned to work on Monday.
"The proposed agreement provides a comprehensive framework for US peaceful nuclear cooperation with India," the statement said."The proposed agreement provides a comprehensive framework for US peaceful nuclear cooperation with India," the statement said.
India's communists have opposed the US deal
"It permits the transfer of information, non-nuclear material, nuclear material, equipment (including reactors) and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production. It does not permit transfers of any restricted data.""It permits the transfer of information, non-nuclear material, nuclear material, equipment (including reactors) and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production. It does not permit transfers of any restricted data."
The statement said "sensitive nuclear technology, heavy-water production technology and production facilities, sensitive nuclear facilities, and major critical components of such facilities" will not be transferred under the deal. According to the statement, "sensitive nuclear technology, heavy-water production technology and production facilities, sensitive nuclear facilities, and major critical components of such facilities" would not be transferred under the deal.
Indian PM Manmohan Singh described the deal as "momentous" The statement said that the agreement would remain in force for 40 years and thereafter for additional periods of 10 years unless either party gave notice to terminate it.
The agreement, according to the statement, will "remain in force for a period of 40 years and will continue in force thereafter for additional periods of 10 years unless either party gives notice to terminate it six months before the period". Last week, the deal crossed a crucial hurdle when the 45-nation NSG approved it.
With only about three weeks to go before the Congress goes into recess for the year, the Bush administration may not have sufficient time to get the agreement ratified, reports say. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the decision marked "the end of India's decades-long isolation from the nuclear mainstream and of the technology denial regime".
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has met Indian Defence Minister AK Anthony to discuss the nuclear deal and the India-US nuclear cooperation.
Last week, the deal crossed an crucial hurdle when the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) approved it.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the NSG decision marked "the end of India's decades-long isolation from the nuclear mainstream and of the technology denial regime".
The US restricted nuclear co-operation with India after it tested a nuclear weapon in 1974.The US restricted nuclear co-operation with India after it tested a nuclear weapon in 1974.
India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the communists - former allies of the governing Congress party who withdrew support for the government over the nuclear deal - have opposed the deal.
Under the terms of the deal, India would open 14 civilian nuclear facilities to inspection - but its nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits.
Critics fear assistance to India's civil programme could free-up additional radioactive material for bomb-making purposes.