October 5, 2007
Israel's Move No Threat to India's NSG Bid
By Manish Chand
New Delhi
Israel's demand for "criteria-based" collaboration with the
45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is aimed primarily at
Washington and will not affect the fate of the Indo-US nuclear deal
in NSG, say officials and experts.
"Israel would very much like to have a similar nuclear deal. But it
is realistic and knows fully well that the deal enables a one-time
exception for India only," an official source who did not wish to be
named told IANS.
"Moreover, Israel is still entangled in a domestic debate about the
viability of nuclear energy. There is strong sensitivity on account
of the ecological implications of nuclear energy," the source added.
"Israel's energy needs are met mostly by diesel and fossil
fuel-fired plants. Israel would not like to have a large nuclear
plant which could become a vulnerable target given hostile forces
surrounding it," K. Subrahmanyam, who heads a task force appointed
by the government to review India's nuclear policy, told IANS.
"It's largely a bargaining exercise with Washington by the American
Jewish lobby. They are using the nuclear deal as a bargaining chip
to retain influence in Washington," he said.
Former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh, a former Indian envoy in
Washington, added: "The American Jewish lobby has played a key role
in pushing the India-US nuclear deal in Washington. They have also
been crucial in transforming India-US relations."
According to a recent report in The Washington Post, Israel
presented papers to the 45-member NSG asking for a "criteria-based
approach" to opening nuclear commerce with states that have not
signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
This has raised apprehensions in policy-making circles in New Delhi
and Washington that Israel's proposal could undermine the Bush
administration's bid to get a wavier for India in NSG.
The Israeli proposal may also play into the hands of Pakistan, which
has been actively opposing the India-US nuclear deal and wants a
similar exemption - a plea that has been repeatedly turned down by
Washington.
The proposal includes a list of 12 criteria to be used by NSG
countries for "nuclear collaboration with non-NPT states". These
include "stringent physical protection, control, and accountancy
measures to all nuclear weapons... in its territory".
China, which has been ambivalent on the India nuclear deal and is
keen to press for a criteria-based approach with a similar exemption
for its ally Pakistan, may also seize the Israeli proposal to
complicate the debate in NSG, some feel.
Among the countries that have not signed the NPT, only India and
Israel would qualify for admission to the NSG under the Israeli
proposal. Pakistan, with its questionable proliferation record, does
not make the grade.
Israel has made it clear that it was not demanding an exemption or
linking its efforts to any other issue like the India-US deal.
Israel has an exclusively nuclear weapons programme, albeit an
undeclared one.
Its nuclear arsenal has been a constant source of inspired
guesswork, with estimates ranging from 75 to 400 nuclear warheads.
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