US House of Reps pass US-India nuke deal

Washington, Dec 9: The US House of Representatives today passed the resolution seeking to implement the US-India Civilian Nuclear Cooperation agreement following a brief discussion by 355 to 55 vote.

The demand for division was made by some of the Democratic Party members who earlier spoke against the measure.

The resolution, based on the unanimous report of the House-Senate conferees, will now go before the Senate which is expected to endorse it some time today because the Congress is going into Christmas recess tonight.

The measure, after its adoption by the Senate, will go to the President for his signature to make the agreement into a law that will enable India to buy US nuclear technology and fuel and in return New Delhi will accept international inspection on its non-military nuclear installations.

Mr Markey said that Pakistan, which had the capacity to build two to three bombs a year, would try to match India's strength. With the influence of Al-Qaeda and a weak government, there were genuine fears of Pakistan nuclear technology and weapons falling into the hands of terrorists, he said. Other Democratic lawmakers -- Mr Dennis Kucinich and Mr David Wu -- also opposed the agreement. Their argument was that it would result in instability in the region and in the world. They were critical of the Bush administration's "irresponsible" non-proliferation policy.

Their party colleague Ms Jackson Lee drew satisfaction from the fact that the bill, as it had emerged from House-Senate conferees' meeting, contained checks and balance in the form of safeguards.

The only Democrat who extended unqualified support to the measure was Mr Frank Pallone, founder and former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.

He recalled the United States' "important strategic partnership" with India and said this deal was "a critical component to a continued, successful partnership." He said the agreement would strengthen energy security for the US and India and promote the development of "stable and efficient energy markets in India to ensure adequate and affordable supplies." Mr Pallone said, "this deal is also the foundation of a promising US-India alliance that will serve as a defence against terrorism and nuclear proliferation. The US has an important stake in ensuring regional stability in South Asia, even as Pakistan continues to produce and test nuclear weapons without proper safeguards." ''With the rising power of Communist China in the region and Osama bin Laden continuing to hide in Afghanistan or Pakistan, we need India as our strategic ally,'' he said.UNI UNI

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