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India to convey N-proposals to US

Source:PTI
February 18, 2007 15:56 IST

Concerned over "certain elements" in the newly-enacted US law on civil nuclear cooperation with it, India will present its proposals to be incorporated in the bilateral agreement that is under negotiation to operationalise the deal.

The draft 123 Agreement will be given to the American side by Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Tuesday when he visits Washington for the High Technology Cooperation Group meeting.

The proposals are understood to include certain language that India wants to be used in the 123 agreement. New Delhi sees with concern "certain elements" of the Henry Hyde US-India Peaceful Atomic Cooperation Act passed by the American Congress in December.

These clauses include conditional access to reprocessing technology, end use verification of reprocessed fuel and the attempt to cap India's strategic nuclear programme.

New Delhi has asserted that such elements would have to be addressed by Washington in the 123 Agreement or it may walk out of  the deal.

The Prime Minister's Special Envoy on nuclear issue Shyam Saran recently said that India has conveyed these concerns to the US, which has also been told that New Delhi was not ready to accept any legally-binding provision on future nuclear testing in the 123 Agreement.

Saran was in the US last month to hold discussions with Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns on the way forward on 123 Agreement.

Menon, on his first visit to Washington as foreign secretary, will meet Burns and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice besides attending the HTCG group whose meetings are being resumed after about a year.

Source: PTI
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