October 7, 2007
India-US Nnuclear Deal 'Ill-Conceived': NYT by Arun Kumar
New York
Critics of the India-US civil nuclear deal have gathered a little
more steam with an influential daily looking approvingly at
questions raised by three lawmakers about what it called an
"ill-conceived" deal.
"The Bush administration and the American business community have
been hoping for a swift, rubber-stamp approval of their
ill-conceived nuclear trade deal with India," the New York Times
said in an editorial Saturday. "Luckily, some members of Congress,
and some American allies, are finally asking questions."
"Congress was far too uncritical when it gave preliminary approval
to the agreement in December... Now some members of Congress are
beginning to raise doubts about the deal," it said referring to a
non-binding resolution introduced in the House of Representatives
last week.
Introduced by a Democrat and two Republicans, the proposal would be
what is called "a sense of the House resolution", the daily noted.
"But by highlighting bipartisan concerns, it should bolster sceptics
in" the Nuclear Suppliers Group that must change its rules before
India and US can resume nuclear trade.
These sceptics "rightfully fear that the agreement could benefit New
Delhi's weapons programme as much as its pursuit of nuclear power,
while making it even harder to rein in the ambitions of nuclear
wannabes, including Iran", the Times said.
The resolution would urge the administration to answer key questions
such as why an implementing (123) agreement, completed in July,
seems so at odds with the law Congress approved last December, it
said referring to the enabling Hyde Act.
"Aiming to keep critics in both capitals off-balance, American and
Indian officials have offered conflicting interpretations about
whether - as the law demands, but the agreement fudges - the United
States would cut off trade and fuel deliveries if the Indians test
another nuclear weapon," the Times suggested.
The resolution also instructs the administration to ensure that NSG
adopts specific conditions that would require all member states to
halt nuclear trade with India if New Delhi tests a weapon, it said.
And it would ban member states from transferring equipment that can
make nuclear fuel for a reactor or a weapon.
"If the suppliers' group fails to set these conditions, it will be
far too easy for New Delhi to do an end-run around Washington and
buy technology and fuel from states that are even more eager to make
a buck," the Times suggested.
"President George Bush is right when he says that the United States
needs to develop strong ties with democratic India," it said. "But
he erred in making a nuclear deal the centrepiece of that
relationship.
"And he erred by being so eager for a deal that sufficient thought
wasn't given to its implications. Now it's up to Congress and other
countries to try to limit the damage," the Times concluded.
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