No more conditions under Indo-US nuke deal: PM

On Board Air India One, July 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today categorically stated that India would not accept additional conditions under the 2005 nuclear deal with the US, either from the US, IAEA or the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG).

''We would not make any more commitments which go beyond the parameters'' of the July 18, 2005 and March 2, 2006 Indo-US joint statements and the separation plan presented to Parliament for throwing open 14 of the 22 facilities in India for IAEA inspection.'' The pm made the assertion to reporters while returning from the G-8 summit at St Petersberg.

Confirming that the US President George W Bush had assured him that Washington would not ''shift the goal post'' under the deal, he said the American leader made the statement ''in the full glare of the media''.

Dr Singh also clarified that India would not go back even an inch on its reciprocal commitment under the deal. He said he had conveyed to Mr Bush India was concerned over certain aspects of the two bills aapproved by the US House and Senate Committees.

''We should not blow it out of proportion. The political process in the US needs time. I am hopeful that our concerns will be taken full care of'' when the final bill was passed in the US Congress, the Prime Minister said.

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