India And US Officials To Push Again For Nuclear Deal In Washington

CIVIL NUCLEAR

The nuclear energy deal is the centrepiece of India's new relationship with Washington after decades of Cold War tensions and is part of New Delhi's efforts to expand energy sources to sustain its booming economy.

by Staff Writers
New Delhi (AFP) Apr 28, 2007
India and the United States will try to iron out differences next week over a crucial civilian nuclear deal amid impatience by Washington over the slow pace of talks, officials said Saturday. Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday to hold negotiations with US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns to propel the dialogue forward.

The talks have been stalled mainly over concerns in India that the agreement will seek to curtail the country's nuclear weapons programme.

India has a "very clear approach" on the deal, Menon said in a report tabled in parliament on Thursday, even as Washington expressed its unhappiness over the dialogue last week.

His comment came after US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in Washington there was "some frustration on the part of the administration as well as Congress on the pace of these negotiations."

Indian officials tried to downplay the US remarks.

"When you hold talks, there are bound to be differences," said a senior government official, who did not wish to be named.

The talks are to implement an accord struck in July 2005 giving India access to US nuclear fuel and technology for civilian use without requiring New Delhi to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty as required by US law.

But differences persist, chiefly over a clause which states the US would withdraw civil nuclear fuel supplies and equipment if India breaches its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing.

India atomic scientists and critics say the agreement will put restrictions on the country's nuclear weapons programme.

Ahead of the meeting, Menon sought to dispel the fears.

"Whatever we do with the US will not affect our nuclear strategic programme," Menon said.

Experts warned that India must act fast on the deal.

"There is genuine concern about the delay. India is not the centre of the universe for them," said G. Balachandran, Visiting Fellow at security think-tank Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

"They will get preoccupied with (presidential) elections next year," he said.

The nuclear policy expert said a likely outcome was a compromise on the wording of the agreement.

"The differences are over the consequences of nuclear testing. The Americans can't take away the right to test. It's a matter of reaching a compromise over the wording of the deal, not a compromise of interests," he said.

Under the nuclear agreement, India also wants the explicit right to reprocess nuclear fuel, in contradiction of the US law.

Indian experts said New Delhi also opposes another clause which provides for US inspection of its nuclear facilities in case the International Atomic Energy Commission fails to do so.

Under the deal, India has agreed to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities and allow inspection of the civilian ones.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Email This Article

CIVIL NUCLEAR

Russia Nuclear Power Paradox

Moscow (RIA Novosti) Apr 25, 2007
Winston Churchill famously called Russia "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." Well, here is one more enigma to add to the list: the paradox that though Russia is a great nuclear power, it is not "nuclear-intensive." Nuclear-generated electricity accounts for an average of 17.6% of its total energy output. Let's not forget, Russia built the world's first nuclear power plant in Obninsk in 1954, and 30 years later had 10 nuclear stations.

ENERGY TECH Oceanlinx Moves To Establish Wave Energy Park In State Of Oregon In United States No Silver Bullet To Combat Climate Chang Says IEA Chief Oddball Schemes To Fix Global Warming Get Panned Germany Wants To Become World Leader In Energy Efficiency	CIVIL NUCLEAR India And US Officials To Push Again For Nuclear Deal In Washington Russia Nuclear Power Paradox Nuclear Power Not The Solution For China Says Official Fault At Controversial Czech Nuclear Plant
BLUE SKY AIM Heads For Orbit Satellites Offer Sunny Outlook On Understanding Polar Climate With Help Of Cloudy Skies No Easy Solution To Indonesian Haze Problem NASA Aims To Clear Up Mystery Of Elusive Clouds At Edge Of Space	WOOD PILE How To Manage Forests In Hurricane Impact Zones Museveni Defends Plans To Transfer Ugandan Forests To Indian Group Greater Use Of Biofuels Threatens Rain Forests Soybean Planting Hastens Drying Of Amazonia
FARM NEWS Fish Growth Enhanced By Climate Change Researcher Finds Negative Effects Of Colonization On Slash-And-Burn Farming In Borneo More Nutritious And Less Toxic Gates Grant To Help Poor Countries Contribute To Doomsday Seed Vault	CAR TECH Driverless Car Goes On Show In London Made In USA Losing Cachet Technique Creates Metal Memory And Could Lead To Vanishing Dents Toyota Anticipates Sharp Increase In Its Hybrid Sales
AEROSPACE Australia Fears Jet Flight Guilt Could Hit Tourism Nondestructive Testing Keeps Bagram Aircraft Flying New FAA Oceanic Air Traffic System Designed By Lockheed Martin Fully Operational NASA Seeks New Research Proposals	NUCLEAR SPACE Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement