US firm on no nuclear test for India

Washington, Aug 17: The United States reiterated once again on no nuclear test by India interpreting the 123 Agreement but recognised the right of India as a sovereign nation to pursue its own policy.

''US itself was neither conducting nuclear tests nor did it encourage any other country to do so.'' said State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack yesterday.

''All of that is understood, you know, India is a sovereign country,'' he remarked when asked to comment on the raucous debate that has of late been going on in India regarding its right to undertake nuclear test under the 123 agreement which seeks to operationalise the two-year-old Indo-US Civil Nuclear deal.

''The provisions in the 123 Agreement provide the US President options in acting, in the event that there is a test.'' stressed the US State Department spokesperson.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also reiterated India's sovereign right to conduct a nuclear test while making statement in the Lok Sabha asserting that it would do so if it was in the country's national interest.

The deal approved by the Indian cabinet still requires approval of the Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG) established after the 1974 nuclear explosion by India. The seal of approval to the agreement is also due in the US Copngress.

India will have access to US nuclear fuel and equipments under the terms of the 123 Agreement and in return of iternational inspections of its civil nuclear sites by IAEA.

UNI