Org from 23 Countries oppose Indo-US nuclear deal
Washington,
Jan
10:
More
than
130
experts
and
non-governmental
organisations
from
23
countries
have
criticised
the
US
-
India
nuclear
deal,
saying
its
proposal
to
exempt
India
from
longstanding
global
nuclear
trade
standards
'would
damage
the
already
fragile
nuclear
nonproliferation
system
and
set
back
efforts
to
achieve
universal
nuclear
disarmament.'
In a letter sent to more than four-dozen governments this week, they called upon the governments ''to play an active role in supporting measures that would ensure this controversial proposal does not: further undermine the nuclear safeguards system and efforts to prevent the proliferation of technologies that may be used to produce nuclear bomb material, or in any way contribute to the expansion of India's nuclear arsenal.'' The letter described as an 'international appeal' urges the governments to consider additional conditions and restrictions on nuclear trade with India.
Among other recommendations, it urges ''to actively oppose any arrangement that would give India any special safeguards exemptions or would in any way be inconsistent with the principle of permanent safeguards over all nuclear materials and facilities.'' Among the signatories to the 'international appeal' include former UN Undersecretary General for Disarmament Affairs and President of the 1995 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference Jayantha Dhanapala, mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Tokyo-based Citizens' Nuclear Information Center and the Washington-based Arms Control Association.
The appeal insists that NSG states should under no circumstances allow for the transfer to India of plutonium reprocessing, uranium enrichment, or heavy water production technology, which may be replicated and used to help produce nuclear bomb material. In the coming weeks, the 35-member International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will likely take up the issue.
India is reportedly seeking IAEA safeguards that could allow to cease IAEA scrutiny if nuclear fuel supplies are cut off, even if the country renews nuclear testing.
UNI