India for new relationships through nuke prog: US

Washington, Apr 13: The Bush administration has said that India is trying to enter into a different kind of relationship with the rest of the world vis-a-vis its nuclear programme.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, who made this comment at his regular briefing yesterday, said that the United States was currently having negotiations with the Indian Government on the issue.

''They have in certain international fora demonstrated a certain level of responsibility with respect to preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction technology, including nuclear technology. So India certainly is trying to, I would say, enter into a different kind of relationship with the rest of the world than it has previously had on the nuclear issue,'' he said.

Mr McCormack made these observations in response to a question relating to India's successful test of Nuclear capable long-range ballistic missile Agni-III. The questioner drew attention to the timing of India's missile, coming as it is, when the US is trying to get Iran and North Korea dismantle their nuclear programmes.

The spokesman, in reply said, ''Well, the Indians do have an active missile programme and typically what they do under their agreements with the Pakistani Government is there's a prior notification. I can't verify for you at this point that did take place in these circumstances.'' He, however, said, ''What we urge all the governments in the region to do -- India, Pakistan included -- is to work within the constraints of the agreements that they have regarding notification and also not take any actions that would be destabilising to the balance in the region.'' When asked whether the missile test by India is going to destabilise the region, Mr McCormack said, ''I'd have to check to see if this is something that is technically different or goes beyond the previous technical demonstrated capabilities of the Indian Government, the Indian military, in launching the missile. I'm not aware that it does, but I'll be happy to check for you.''

UNI