The American non-proliferation lobby has sought to turn Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's latest assurance about the Indo-US civil nuclear deal on its head by asserting that it makes the case for a shift in US policy vis-à-vis the deal.
The non-proliferation hawks swung into action just a day after Rice assured a House panel that the US would support an agreement between India and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group only if it was "completely consistent" with the obligations of the Hyde Act, passed by the US Congress.
"Rice's pledge to support NSG guidelines that are consistent with the minimal but vital conditions established for US nuclear trade with India requires a shift in the Bush administration's policy. Such a shift would be an overdue step in the right direction," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, who has been a virtual spokesman of the non-proliferation lobby.
Stating that the US's current draft proposal backs India's demand for NSG's nod without conditions, Kimball said: "We expect that Secretary Rice will remain faithful to her pledge to Congress and adjust the US approach at the NSG so that other states' terms of trade with India must meet the same standards established in US law and policy."
He contended that the US draft proposal, if adopted in its present form, would mean that the other NSG states "do not have to adhere to the same restrictions and conditions on nuclear trade with India that apply to the United States".
Rice, while responding to a query from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' new chairman Howard Berman, had said: "We will support nothing with India in the NSG that is in contradiction to the Hyde Act.
"It will have to be completely consistent with the obligations of the Hyde Act."
The non-proliferation hawks swung into action just a day after Rice assured a House panel that the US would support an agreement between India and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group only if it was "completely consistent" with the obligations of the Hyde Act, passed by the US Congress.
"Rice's pledge to support NSG guidelines that are consistent with the minimal but vital conditions established for US nuclear trade with India requires a shift in the Bush administration's policy. Such a shift would be an overdue step in the right direction," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, who has been a virtual spokesman of the non-proliferation lobby.
Stating that the US's current draft proposal backs India's demand for NSG's nod without conditions, Kimball said: "We expect that Secretary Rice will remain faithful to her pledge to Congress and adjust the US approach at the NSG so that other states' terms of trade with India must meet the same standards established in US law and policy."
He contended that the US draft proposal, if adopted in its present form, would mean that the other NSG states "do not have to adhere to the same restrictions and conditions on nuclear trade with India that apply to the United States".
Rice, while responding to a query from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' new chairman Howard Berman, had said: "We will support nothing with India in the NSG that is in contradiction to the Hyde Act.
"It will have to be completely consistent with the obligations of the Hyde Act."
Source: The Daily Pioner |By Rajagopalan
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