US Chamber of Commerece hails House approval on Indo-US nuke deal

Washington, July 27 (UNI) The US Chamber of Commerce today welcomed the legislation's House approval pertaining to Indo-US nuclear deal and said it was an important step in advancing the landmark agreement.

In a statement here Lt Gen Daniel W Christman (Retd), chairman of the Coalition for Partnership with India urged Congress to act expeditiously to ensure that all legislative steps are completed in a timely manner so that ''American companies and citizens can begin to enjoy its significant economic and national security benefits.'' ''The United States and India negotiated this agreement with tremendous good faith and in anticipation of strengthening an historic alliance between two of the world's great democracies. It would be truly unfortunate for that vision to get bogged down in the legislative meat grinder. We, therefore, urge Congress to move as quickly as possible in making this agreement a reality,'' he said.

Late last night, the House of Representatives adopted with a ''thumping majority'' the legislation, HR 5682, seen as crucial to an evolving strategic alliance between the two countries.

The Chamber of Commerce mounted its own lobbying effort to get the legislation adopted in the Congress. It brought on board for lobbying General Electric, Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed, companies that expect to make technology equipment and fuel sales to India.

The deal would lift a thirty-year-old restriction on India, allowing it to buy American nuclear reactors and fuel even though New Delhi has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

In exchange for this, India has agreed to open up its nuclear facilities to to international safeguards, self-imposed moratorium on future nuclear tests and cooperate with the United States and other nations on halting the spread of nuclear exports.

The Senate must also approve the bill but a vote is not expected until September and the final bill would be sent to President Bush for his assent.

The House and Senate would vote again after US-India negotiations on the technical details of the cooperation agreement, called 123 agreement, are completed.

Before that India must also complete negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a system of inspections for its civilian nuclear facilities and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines to allow nuclear transfers to India.

UNI XC KD PM1948