India's IAEA vote helped gain support for nuclear deal, says US official
Special Correspondent
Oct. 19, 2005

On the eve of his visit to New Delhi, US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns has said that with India voting in favour of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] resolution on Iran's nuclear programme, Congressional opposition to the Indo-US nuclear agreement has disappeared and both sides would meet their commitments before President George W. Bush visits India next year.

"By the time Bush visits India early winter 2006, you will see both meet our commitments and then the president and prime minister will be in a position to put this agreement into effect," Burns told the Asia Society.

Washington has contended that the nuclear agreement is not a scheme for immediate implementation since both sides have to take certain steps. India has agreed to separate its nuclear and military facilities which would take time and the US has to change domestic laws to resume nuclear supplies to Indian reactors.

"My trip to New Delhi," Burns said, "is to focus on agreement on a timetable that will lead to decisions in the United States Congress to change our law and ultimate decision of the Indian government to meet their commitments."

He said that in the negotiations between him and India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on the Indian side, they knew it was a very complex piece of work and it will take time to implement.

During his visit, bilateral official consultations (Asian Security Dialogue) will be held on 21 and 22 October. The Indian side will be led by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran.

There will also be a meeting of the working group which has been constituted to follow up on the 18 July India-US agreement. Saran heads the working group from Indian side.

Burns will also call on India's External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh and its national security adviser, M.K. Narayanan during his stay here.

The landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was reached in July between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush in Washington.

It offered New Delhi comprehensive access to civilian nuclear technology in exchange for, among other things, voluntarily bringing its power reactors and other civilian nuclear facilities under safeguards.

His trip to New Delhi, Burns said, will entail working on a timetable that will lead to decisions in the US Congress to change US law and the ultimate decision of the Indian government to meet their commitments.

The agreement, he said is very specific. It talks about civilian nuclear cooperation between the two countries. It also says very explicitly that the US has certain commitments and India has certain commitments.

On the issue of expansion of Security Council, he said the US is "fully prepared to look at the question of Security Council expansion" after the UN is reformed ground up, including management reforms, human rights council reforms and other issues.

Burns said the US has now de-hyphenated the relationship with India and Pakistan. The engagement of the US with India rests on very solid foundations - shared values, shared interests and share views on how best to promote democracy, peace and stability in the 21st century, Burns said.

Both countries are multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious democracies that prize individual freedom, the rule of law and constitutional government based on free and fair elections.

He described Pakistan as "very important ally" in the fight against Al-Qa''idah and international terrorism and President Pervez Musharraf a "very strong friend" of the US. The strategic partnership with India does not mean somehow calling into question US friendship with Pakistan," he added.

He agreed that the US has extended military assistance to Pakistan and said "we will continue to be as helpful as we can to President Musharraf and his government."

During his hour-long address and interaction, Burns rejected the suggestion that the US intervene on the Kashmir issue, emphasizing that it is best left to the two countries - India and Pakistan. "We wish them well," he said.

He noted that India is acquiring characteristics of a global power in economic, political and strategic fields and it is in the interest of the US to engage it in both global and regional issues, something which, he added, Washington is doing.

India, he said, has emerged a "more powerful" power in the world and that is reflected in the growing Indo-American ties. Both Washington and New Delhi have similar interests in the sub-region, he stressed, pointing out that they want return of democracy in Nepal and advancing the peace process in Sri Lanka.

MORE ARTICLES >>