India, US to go thru "delicate procedure" for N-tech: US envoy
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Aug 31, IRNA
India-US
Observing that both India and the US have to go through "delicate, complicated procedures" to implement the "landmark" agreement on civilian nuclear energy, American Ambassador David Mulford Tuesday hoped the respective commitments would be carried out before the likely visit to India by President George Bush in next February, reported the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Giving his perception on the agreement signed during last months' visit to Washington by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mulford said it was "hard to predict" the timing and passage of requisite legislation that would open the way for nuclear supplies to India.
Indicating that the Congress approval for changing the legislation, which has been conditioned by the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) would take some time, he said Washington was also consulting other members of the Nuclear Suppliers Groups (NSG).
On its part, India has to do a number fo things like implementing its newly enacted WMD legislation and export controls as also establish the division it has agreed to between civilian and military nuclear facilities, he said while addressing the Association of Indian Foreign Correspondents.
New Delhi, he said, also has to sign the Additional Protocol, bringing its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards and continue its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing.
Noting that President Bush was "deeply committed" to long-term strategic and comprehensive relationship with India, Mulford said there has been remarkable transformation" in bilateral ties in the past 18 months.
He said though not formally confirmed, President Bush would "probably" undertake his first-ever visit to India in February, 2006.
Asked about the element of reciprocity in the nuclear deal, he said, "Some fruits" have already appeared in the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) and more would follow with Indian companies being taken out of the restrictive list.
About the US fulfilling its commitment under the agreement, he said strategies were still to be defined.
He said the Congress was in recess and Bush was in Texas and the first presentation on this subject would be by US Undersecretary Nicholas Burns when he testifies before the Congress on September 8.
Mulford said both countries had to simultaneously work on their commitments. From the US end, he said, "I don't know how long all that will play out because getting something from the Congress sometimes takes a little while".
On concerns over the agreement putting a cap on nuclear weapons program, he said, "India is a sovereign state and can take its own decision."
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