India agrees to moratorium on nuke tests: US

Washington, Sep 5: The United States has said that India's obligations under the 123 Agreement are very clear and Indians have agreed to a moratorium on nuclear tests.

"And, we expect that Indians will adhere to that commitment," State Department' s Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said on Thursday, Sep 4. Mr Wood said in a statement under the terms of the US-India nuclear agreement, if India tested nuclear weapons, that would trigger a suspension of supplies and technology from the US and other countries. In reply to a letter Mr Wood said our response to the Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos letter that was made public by Democratic Congressman Howard Berman and there was nothing - nothing new in our response. It was basically a reiteration of US non-proliferation policy.

There was no attempt to sort of, you know, cover up anything, if that's what you're implying. Congressman Berman, earlier this week made public a nine-month-old confidential letter from the State Department assuring Congressman Lantos that the deal would be scuttled if India conducted a nuclear test.

UNI