HIRC hails signing of Indo-US nuke agreement

Washington, Dec 18 (UNI) Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), the incoming chairman of the House of Representatives International Relations Committee, today applauded the signing into law of the legislation that he had spearheaded to expand cooperation on developing nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes in India.

''The signing of this bill is a historic moment for both our great countries, one that will usher in a new age of friendship and cooperation,'' he said.

''This expansion of peaceful nuclear trade will usher in an improved partnership between India and the United States based on our shared objective of preventing the spread of dangerous nuclear technology to countries and groups that will use it for evil purposes,'' he added.

Mr Lantos and departing International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, for whom the bill is named, spent more than a year spearheading the measure through the legislative process, resolving the concerns of some who said it would be detrimental to efforts to halt the spread of nuclear weapons.

A bill drafted by the Administration was scrapped in favor of a series of legislative steps that will ensure that India's civil and military nuclear programmes remain separate, assert Congress' oversight prerogative as the agreement is implemented, and require reporting to Congress by the White House on India's cooperation with the US efforts to deter Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions.

''In the past year, India has been very supportive of the US and international efforts to dissuade Iran from this most dangerous path,'' Mr Lantos noted.

''I have no doubt that this will continue, and India's role in this effort will be instrumental to its success, he further added.

Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, founder and former co-chair of the US Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans who attended the signing ceremony at the White House, said, '' This is truly an historic day for US-Indo relations.

He congratulated the Indian-American community for its dedication to building support for this landmark law.

''The most significant comments at today's bill signing came from President Bush when he stated that India is a friend.

I believe this deal best demonstrates this strong bond of friendship that exists between our two nations, one that will only grow stronger in the years to come,'' Mr Pallone echoed.

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