Atomic Club Approves US-India Nuclear Material Technology Deal

VIENNA, Austria — The U.S. gained key international backing Saturday for a bitterly contested plan to sell peaceful nuclear technology to India _ a South Asia powerhouse that has tested atomic weapons but has refused to sign global nonproliferation accords.

Washington said the landmark deal, which still needs U.S. congressional approval, will place India's nuclear program under closer scrutiny. But detractors warned it could set a dangerous precedent in efforts to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction.

"By establishing a 'good guys' and 'bad guys' set of rules, the decision will make it far harder to curb the South Asian nuclear and missile arms race," said Daryl Kimball, who heads the Washington-based Arms Control Association. Kimball said the deal could undermine efforts to contain the Iranians and North Koreans.

Saturday's approval by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group dealt "a profound setback to the nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament system that will produce dangerous ripple effects for years to come," he said.

The group, which governs the legal world trade in nuclear components and know-how, signed off on the deal after three days of contentious talks in Vienna and some concessions to countries insistent on holding India to its promises not to touch off a new nuclear arms race.

The approval represented a major foreign policy victory for President Bush, who had made the deal a centerpiece of a major 2005 overture to India.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a trip to North Africa, called the deal "landmark" and said final congressional approval would be "a huge step for the U.S.-India relationship."

The trade waiver paves the way for a U.S. reversal of more than three decades of policy. India has been subject to a nuclear trade ban since it first tested an atomic weapon in 1974. The country conducted its most recent test blast in 1998.

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India hailed the agreement as "a forward-looking and momentous decision."

"It marks the end of India's decades-long isolation from the nuclear mainstream," Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a statement. "The opening of full civil nuclear cooperation between India and the international community will be good for India and for the world."

Officials said Bush and Singh spoke by telephone Saturday and congratulated each other on the waiver, which removes a key obstacle to billions of dollars (euros) in potential trade in peaceful nuclear material and technology between the two nations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency signed off on the deal last month. Now, the Bush administration will have to scramble to get approval from Congress in the few weeks remaining before lawmakers adjourn for the rest of the year to devote time to their re-election campaigns.

"I certainly hope we can get it through," Rice said.

Initially, more than a dozen nations including China and Japan sought to block approval by the nuclear group, which operates by consensus.

But in negotiations that began Thursday, that bloc dwindled to three holdouts _ Austria, Ireland and New Zealand _ who expressed grave misgivings about bending the rules to accommodate U.S. sales to India.

Austria said it lifted its objections after India pledged on Friday to support the global nonproliferation effort and not share sensitive nuclear technology with other countries _ promises the Austrians called "decisive."

India also had said it was ready to sign agreements with the IAEA that will broaden and strengthen the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency's ability to inspect Indian atomic facilities.

John Rood, acting U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control issues, told reporters in Vienna that the deal would help meet India's growing energy needs while helping the developing country, a major polluter, cut back on harmful emissions contributing to global warming.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband agreed, saying the deal has the potential "to make a significant contribution to energy and climate security" in India and worldwide.

"This is a historic achievement that strengthens global nonproliferation principals while assisting India to meet its energy requirements in an environmentally friendly manner," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House.

Washington has said it would immediately suspend trade with India if the country resumes nuclear testing.

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On the Net:

http://www.nuclearsuppliersgroup.org

http://www.armscontrol.org

Comments

[Pittsford]

If you google: Iran Pakistan India "peace Pipeline" opposed by the US - - you will have several references to the fact that the nuclear special deal for India includes a promise by India to scuttle the referenced natural gas pipeline to bring Iranian natural gas to India and Pakistan, and to create a cooperative atmosphere between India and Pakistan. It is an effort to isolate Iran. Heaven forbid that something good be done for Iran - even, for India, at the cost of a faustian bargain for nuclear instead of gas energy. It further puts India in the category of permitted atom bomb holders in violation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, to render the treaty a dead letter. A further reference is "The Indian Left and the Indo-US Nuclear Deal", by Vijay Prashod, 09/03/08 in "Counterpunch".

[ProzacsPerspective]

India "...has refused to sign global nonproliferation accords." No way, no how, no nukes. Sign the treaty, then we'll talk. India, if ya want to power all those new computers of yours you'll have to sign the treaty. I'm all ready contacting my Reps in Congress.

[jaysan]

Ignorance is bliss, and little knowledge is a dangerous thing. India has a scrupulous record on non-proliferation for the past 35 years, since it detonated its first nuclear explosion in 1974. China on the other hand, while being one of the Big-5 nuclear powers given special privileges under the NPT, has proliferated nuclear weapons to both Pakistan and NorthKorea. In what way does the NPT hold China accountable? Pakistan has in turn proliferated nuclear weapons (centrifuges and a warhead design) to Iran. India has proliferated to no one. The Nuclear Suppliers Group was created AFTER India's 1974 nuclear test, but refused to give India the same status as China. And this is why India refused to sign -- because it has a 1500-mile disputed border with China, and China is aiming nukes at India from the other side of that border. India's position has been that if China has the right to aim nukes at India, then India has the right to aim them back in self-defense. Why pick on the Indians for that? Why does China have that right, but India doesn't??
Even though the NPT gave China special status that India wasn't allowed, the Chinese didn't even sign the NPT until 1992! And in the meantime they proliferated nukes to other countries! What did India do that was so wrong?? Your comments say more about yourself than about the subject you're commenting upon.

[hippy62]

When will USA learn from history?We supported Saddam Hussein,Bin-Laden,the shah of Iran.All of them turned our own weapons on us.We need to learn from past mistakes.Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.God help us.

[rjaya]

This is a Historic day for India. After three decades of isolation India would be able to get Nuclear fuel to meet its rising energy needs. This deal would make a big impact on the energy sector of India which would ultimately improve the lives of 1/6th of world population. Hope US congress approves this deal on time.

[Pittsford]

In 2003, The Indian UPA government pursued a "peace pipeline," a natural gas conduit that would run from Iran, through Pakistan, to India. The existence of such an important pipeline (which would bring Iranian gas to Indian markets, and earn Pakistan hundreds of millions of dollars in transit fees) might knit the livelihoods of these neighbors and consolidate various peace moves that had begun between Islamabad and New Delhi. But these two initiatives, and others, did not sit well with Washington. When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came to India in 2005, Rice lobbied against the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, pushed its line on Iran to the Indians, and promised to help meet India"s energy needs to replace the gas. The US offered the nuclear deal as a quid pro quo for scuttling the peace pipeline.

The invisible beneficiary of this deal is Israel, who wants to head off any pipe line except the route through Turkey, Lebanon (demolished by Israel in 2006 - not likely to resist), and Israel to Ashkelon, to give Israel nice income and control of oil flow to India and China. A side benefit is to have another nuclear-armed country join Israel outside of the Non-Proliferation Treaty to make it a dead letter. Similarly, the drumbeat in the US to attack Iran comes from Israel Loyalists in the Bush Administration - and a dozen or so "Think Tanks" that are political, NOT academic.

[chewie2008]

Let`s just give every country nuclear weapons and see who first twitches.
Would make one hell of a 24 season.

[MIVOTE]

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a trip to North Africa, called the deal "landmark" and said final congressional approval would be "a huge step for the U.S.-India relationship." What she didn't say, while making India's neighbors angry and suspicious (Pakistan).
I heartily second the U.S. decision to trade with India on the nuclear issue. This will tell the whole world that US intentions are to cause trouble and strife in a region that far too much -- Genuinely Peaceful? I don't think so... I'm sure Asian Indians across the world, and especially the American citizens will Rejoice as again we have to worry about conflict between countries that we initially provide support in their aggression and when things turn ugly we're ready to overthrow the government. We jointly urge the U.S. Congress to not sign the agreement.

[LITU]

Sounds good on paper, but what of the nuclear wannabe's who see this as a double standard? The NSG and the IAEA have no teeth.

[Neelima]

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a trip to North Africa, called the deal "landmark" and said final congressional approval would be "a huge step for the U.S.-India relationship.""
I heartily second the U.S. decision to trade with India on the nuclear issue. This will tell the whole world that India's intentions are Genuinely Peaceful. I'm sure Asian Indians across the world, and especially the American citizens will Rejoice. We jointly urge the U.S. Congress to approve the agreement.