US asks India to accelerate negotiations with IAEA

New Delhi, Dec 8: Following consensus among lawmakers in Washington last night on a bill relating to the Indo-US Nuke Agreement, the Bush Administration today advised India to accelerate negotiations with the IAEA and made it clear that the deal was India-specific and ''well within the parameters'' of the July 18, 2005 deliberations.

US Under-Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, who is currently in India and held talks with Indian officials during the past two days, told reporters here that the US hoped to see the final change in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), maintaining that the 123 agreement was also not far away.

Decks were cleared for the Congressional approval of the landmark agreement following a consensus among lawmakers in Washington last night on the bill required to give effect to the deal. The passage of the Bill is a pre-requisite to the implementation of the July 2005 agreement by changing a US law in India's favour.

House-Senate conferees agreed on the measure, reconciling its conflicting versions approved earlier by the two Houses. They also disposed of the procedural snag that had on Wednesday stopped the legislation on its way to the House of Representatives for discussion and approval.

The agreement, the passage of which is now taken for granted, will end a three-decade ban on nuclear-technology exchanges and allow India to buy US nuclear fuel and reactors.

After being cleared by the Congress, the deal will have to be passed by the 45-nation powerful nuclear lobby -- the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) -- where many members had initially expressed reservation saying India had not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Asked whether China, an important member of the NSG, would oppose the deal, Mr Burns said it would be in China's interest to go with the ''constellation of nations'' supporting the agreement.

He, however, said he would not be able to speak for China and it was China's own decision.

To another question on Pakistan, the US official said the deal was ''India-specific'' and would not be given to any other country.

Maintaining that the July 18 agreement was between India and the United States, Mr Burns said it was ''India-specific'' and would not be signed with any other country. ''India is a unique country and has enormous potential... We will not be offering such an arrangement to any other country...'', he said in reply to a question.

''It is a major and historic step and is well within the parameters of the negotiations we concluded during the past 18 months which saw many ups and downs...the US will meet all the commitments made to the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and India on fuel assurances...we hope to see the final change in the NSG as well,'' Mr Burns added.

Asked whether the agreement was linked to any other matter like Defence, he said there were no links between today's legislation and any other issue.

The two countries had separate ambitions for cooperation in different areas like counter-terrorism, Defence etc.

''We have been victims of terrorism and want to build a much stronger relationship with India in Defence.'' Observing that the Civilian Nuclear Cooperation between the two countries was ''well on its way,'' the US official said he did not have to worry about the 123 Agreement.

''It is going to be done,'' he asserted.

On the NSG response, Mr Burns said the US had launched a diplomatic offensive for India and would continue to do so.

He said their argument was that Iran and North Korea, even though being ''inside'' the NPT, had violated the Nuclear principles while India being ''outside'' was a responsible nation.

To a question on the use of spent fuel, he said it was India's sovereign decision to handle that. The text of the Bill is very clear on the issue.

Mr Burns said he had met several Indian Parliamentarians and officials today and told them that the B was very fair and respectful for India.

UNI