US Senate passes India-US nuclear bill

Washington, Nov 17: The United States Senate last night approved by 85 to 12 votes a bill seeking to give effect to the controversial India-US nuclear deal, after rejecting most of the amendments.

The final vote came after a day-long discussion during which most of the members, both Democrats and Republicans, lent a strong support to the deal which was announced during President Bush's visit to New Delhi in March this year.

With this Senate action, the deal gets the Congress approval, a prerequisite for its implementation, as the House of Representatives had endorsed it in July.

Earlier, the Senate rejected with decisive margins two amendments, called killer amendments, which stood in the name of the Democratic Party members.

The first, moved by leading Democrat Russ Feingold sought to change the operative sections of the bill, seeking a presidential certification that the deal would only be of civilian nature and that none of the assistance provided by the US would be diverted to India's nuclear weapons programme.

The other major amendment, which was introduced by Democratic Senator Barbra Boxer was also rejected. It wanted India to severe its military-to-military relations with Iran before drawing benefits from the agreement.

Both the amendments were put to vote and the Senate rejected them by an overwhelming majority.

The Senate accepted by voice vote Democratic Senator Tom Harkins amendment which wanted that the ''President should determine that India is fully and actively participating in US and international efforts to dissuade, sanction and contain Iran's nuclear programme, consistent with the United Nations Security Council Resolution''.

The Senate also accepted by a voice vote another amendment which said that ''supplies of nuclear fuel to India must be commensurate with reasonable reactor operating requirements''.

It was moved by Democratic Party's rising star Barack Obama.

Outgoing Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar and its ranking Democrat Joe Biden lent a strong support to deal.

UNI

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