US Pledges to Uphold Its End of India Nuclear Deal

The Bush administration Thursday stressed its determination to fulfillits side of the landmark U.S.-India nuclear agreement after thegovernment of Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh said it is ready torisk a confidence vote to get the deal through parliament in New Delhi.Time may be running out for U.S. Congressional approval this year.VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

The Bushadministration is welcoming the apparent end of the parliamentaryimpasse in India on the nuclear deal, though it is not predictingoutright that U.S. Congressional approval can be obtained before theend of President Bush's term.

Opposition from leftwing factionsin the Indian coalition government have stalled parliamentary action onthe nuclear package for many months. Prime Minister Singh, afterbargaining with minor parties, said Thursday he is ready to push foraction despite the risk of losing a confidence vote.

At the sametime, the Indian government has submitted a draft nuclear safeguardsagreement to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, whereapproval by the U.N. agency's governing board is needed for the deal tomove forward.

The nuclear accord reached by President Bush andPrime Minister Singh in 2005 would give New Delhi access to U.S.nuclear technology, while opening non-military Indian nuclear sites tointernational inspections.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the accord at a meeting Wednesday on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Japan.

Ata news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack welcomed thenew developments as a significant step forward for the U.S.-Indianrelationship, the Indian nuclear program, and the internationalnon-proliferation regime.

Though acknowledging that time isshort for getting final approval in the U.S. Congress, McCormack saidthe administration is prepared to do all it can to achieve that:

"Ofcourse we're interested in seeing this agreement move forward, but wealso made clear that there were certain decisions that the Indiangovernment needed to make. They have apparently made those decisionsand we as a result are fully committed to doing everything that we canto fulfill our end of this agreement," he said.

Before the U.S.Congress can act, the agreement must be cleared by both the IAEA andthe 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs trade in reactorsand nuclear fuel.

Speedy action by the IAEA is considered likely but the matter may face some obstacles in the Suppliers Group.

Enablingaction in the U.S. Congress, meanwhile is threatened both by resistancefrom some Democrats, who accuse the Bush the administration of dilutingU.S. non-proliferation policy, and the political timetable.

Legislativerules require that Congress be in session for 30 work days to considerthe package and there are less than 40 work days available before theplanned September 26th adjournment.

Democratic leaders have saidthey oppose re-convening Congress for a so-called "lame duck" sessionafter the November election, partly because Democrats anticipateelection gains and do not want the current Congress to be extended.

U.S.proponents of the deal warn that if Congress fails to act this year,India can turn to other suppliers and the U.S. nuclear industry couldpotentially lose billions of dollars in business.