US yet to pass final legislation on civil nuclear energy

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) The government today said the United States Congress is yet to pass the final legislation that would facilitate civil nuclear energy cooperation between India and the United States.

The US House of Representatives voted on a Bill on July 26, 2006 and the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on a draft senate bill on June 29, 2006.

Minister of state for External Affairs Anand Sharma said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that ''it would be premature to pass judgement on the legislation untill its final text is known.

He said expansion of nuclear power capacity will be an important aspect of energy security and the country's 3-stage Nuclear Power Programme provides that the larger fraction of nuclear energy in the long run would be derived from fuel sources available within the country through Fast Breeder Reactors and through use of Thorium.

''Nuclear power capacity set-up through international civil nuclear cooperation is to be viewed as an additioan to our domestic programme,'' Mr Sharma said.

UNI/RT MSJ HT1415