The United States Congress will approve the historic Indo-US nuclear deal if it gets 'clear evidence' that there is a 'marked delineation' of India's civil and military nuclear facilities, US Congressman Dan Burton said here today.
"The members of Congress, who recently learned of the agreement, want to see concrete evidence that there will be a marked delineation between civil use of nuclear equipment that we sell to India and military use," Burton, who led a Congressional delegation to India, told reporters in New Delhi.
"If that is very clearly understood, I am confident that the nuclear deal will be passed by the US Congress," he said, winding up the delegation's three-day visit to the country, during which they met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior officials.
Considered an India-baiter, Burton said there was a clear understanding between President George W Bush and Dr Singh and between Parliamentarians from both the countries that there should be a 'clear delineation' and hoped the deal will come through if that understanding is worked out.
Dr Singh and Bush had signed the pathbreaking agreement in Washington on July 18, under which the US implicitly recognised India as a nuclear weapons state and agreed to supply fuel for Tarapore reactors following a series of commitments by New Delhi, including that of separating civilian and military facilities.
The delegation, comprising both Republicans and Democrats, discussed numerous issues, including Kashmir and trade relations, and felt that India and the US should forge a long-term relationship, he said.
Burton, the Repubican Congressman from Indiana, said the US now considers India a 'friend and partner' and is looking forward to a very long and good relationship with New Delhi, which should have started some 20-30 years back.
Senior Congresswoman and member of the delegation, Sheila Jackson Lee, said the US was not 'targeting' any particular country or region, but was sensitive about the safety of the world.
She said if India can convince US that they can live safely with civil nuclear production in view of its energy needs, it will help Washington in continuing its working partnership with New Delhi and pursuing the July 18 agreement.
The delegation also sought to allay 'hesitation' among some quarters in India about forging a long-term partnership with the US.
"These are significant times in the history of India and US to cement their partnership," Lee said, adding Washington knows that there is 'hesitation' about Indo-US relations in India. "We welcome the debate, but this is time for partnership. As India moves into the 21st century, US can play a very strategic role in its developing areas."
Lee also pointed out that India and US can have a meaningful partnership in the fields of education, energy security, infrastructure development, poverty eradication, war on terror, fight against HIV/AIDS. "Joint ventures with Indian companies in energy sector are crucial," she said.
Besides Burton and Lee, the delegation included Congressman Al Green, Congressman Steven Pearce, Congressman Joe Wilson, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and Congresswoman Loreta Sanchez.