Work on reprocessing agreement within 6 months: Kakodkar

Mumbai, Sept 12 : Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar on Friday said that India and the United States will work on a reprocessing agreement within six months after the 123 agreement is passed by the US Congress.

Kakodkar said that consultations on arrangements and procedures with the US on reprocessing would have to be completed within a year as per the 123 Agreement.

"The idea is, after the US Congressional vote on 123 Agreement, to complete the formalities on reprocessing agreement," Kakodar said.

According to Article 6(iii) of 123 agreement, as envisioned in the Joint Statement of July 18, both parties (India and US) grant each other consent to reprocess or otherwise alter in form or content nuclear material, transferred pursuant to this agreement and nuclear material and by-products material used in or produced through the use of nuclear material, non-nuclear material or equipment so transferred.

"To bring these rights into effect, India will establish a new national reprocessing facility dedicated to reprocessing safeguarded nuclear material under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and the parties will agree on arrangements and procedures under which such reprocessing or other alteration in form or content will take place in this new facility," the Indo-US bilateral agreement said.

Meanwhile, a few nuclear analysts in Mumbai said the onus now lies on the government about what it wants to explain to Parliament or people of India regarding the steps they would be taking in order to ensure that India has access to full civil nuclear co-operation' which will include access to dual use, sensitive and reprocessing technologies as promised by the Prime Minister on the floor of house.

Analysts also feel that the internal legislation of the US should not hamper the expected rapid growth in these vital sectors in trade with India.

ANI