Bid for India-specific waiver in US Atomic Energy Act

Washington, Mar 11: A draft proposal has been sent to the US Congress seeking an India specific waiver to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 that would remove restrictions on the sale of nuclear technology to India, said the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns yesterday (Mar 10, 2006).

Talking to reporters after addressing the US Chamber of Commerce here, Mr Burns, the chief negotiatior of the deal, said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has sent a set of ''ideas'' to the lawmakers in the US Congress to help draft a legislation in this regard.

He said the waiver was the best way to go about it as the AEA prohibits nuclear sales to non-NPT states like India. ''We are not seeking relief from the US law for any country in the world except India,'' he added.

Replying to a spate of questions on the legislation Mr Burns said, ''we have sugested this waiver and it is up to the Congressional leaders on how to go forward with the language and points in the legislation''.

Asked to be more specific on the details in the legislation, Mr Burns said, ''we have given, at their request some points but we have to be respectful about the separation of powers (legislative and executive) but the US Congress would ultimately decide what it wants to do''.

Hectic consultations have begun between the top Bush administration officials and Congressional leaders like Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar and House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, said US Congress sources.

Official sources said that to get the waiver agreement in place India must agree to certain initiatives like the separation of its civil and nuclear facilities to place them under permanent international safeguards, and some determinations to be made by President Bush.

These include largely technical details like India and the IAEA are making satisfactory progress towards implementing an Additional Protocol that would apply to India's civil nuclear program. India is working with the United States for the conclusion of a multilateral Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty.

India is supporting international efforts to prevent the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technology and India is ensuring that the necessary steps are being taken to secure nuclear materials and technology through the application of comprehensive export control legislation and regulations, and through harmonisation and adherence to Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Suppliers Group Guidelines.

Burns said if the India specific waiver is passed by Congress, it would allow the United States and other nations to invest in civilian and nuclear trade with India. Though India has not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty(NPT), it has not violated any of its rules.

Asked about India retracting on this committment if fuel supply is interuppted, Burns said this may not happen because once the US laws are changed to lift restrictions on India, the US and other nations which has an understanding with the IAEA, will ensure steady supply of nuclear fuel to India.

The US will also negotiate a bilateral agreement on peaceful nuclear cooperation with India and seek to assure the reliable supply of nuclear fuel to India through multiple avenues, he added.

Regarding the Iran gas-pipeline issue, Burns said ''we have told India that Iran is not a reliable partner and it should seek sources from other Central Asian nations like Turkmenistan and also develop clean coal technology as it has abundant coal reserves.

UNI

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