| The United States of America hailed the Nuclear | | | | weapons program but also the country's foreign |
| Civilian Deal Agreement terming it historic. | | | | policy. The goalposts which the Indian Prime |
| President Bush said "I am pleased that our two | | | | Minister had spoken off in the Indian Parliament |
| countries will soon have increased opportunities to | | | | have shifted and the nuclear bill barters away |
| work together to meet our energy needs in a | | | | India's right to explode a nuclear bomb. Another |
| manner that does not increase air-pollution and | | | | major concern which the Indian scientists have is |
| greenhouse gas emissions, promotes clean | | | | that inspectors from the US will have access to |
| development, supports non-proliferation, and | | | | India's nuclear facilities. This could be very |
| advances our trade interests." | | | | dangerous for your strategic concerns as there is |
| The Indian Prime Minister said in parliament on | | | | every chance of our nuclear secrets getting out |
| similar lines on march 7th 2006, "The resumption | | | | and falling into the hands of the American |
| of civilian nuclear energy cooperation would | | | | establishment and this can be very dangerous for |
| demonstrate that we have entered a new and | | | | us in the long run. The very existence of our |
| more positive phase of our ties, so that we can | | | | independent nuclear program would come under |
| finally put behind us years of troubled relations in | | | | question. India cannot afford to have its nuclear |
| the nuclear field". | | | | program controlled by the Americans like that of |
| The country's top nuclear scientists have | | | | Pakistan's |
| expressed concern over the passing of the | | | | Another major concern is the fear that highly |
| recent nuclear civilian deal by the American | | | | radioactive spent fuel will pile up if India is not |
| Congress .The concerns are quite legitimate. The | | | | allowed to recycle. On this issue the CPI (M) had |
| scientists have pointed out the provision of the | | | | to say this. "A major issue is that the civilian |
| deal seeks to cap India's right to conduct atomic | | | | nuclear cooperation entails the right of India to |
| tests. The former Atomic Energy Commission | | | | sale of enriched fuel and reprocessing technique. |
| (AEC) Chairman M R Srinivasan now a Member of | | | | The law provides for imposing restrictions and |
| the AEC, expressed concern over the provision in | | | | trade regimes, barring access to dual use nuclear |
| the "Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful | | | | technology. Thus India will be denied its full nuclear |
| Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006 which | | | | cycle." The BJP held the opinion that "the Act |
| states that the US would terminate civilian nuclear | | | | militated against full civil nuclear cooperation with |
| cooperation if India were to conduct a nuclear | | | | India, the certification and reporting requirements |
| test". This is something which no government of | | | | continued to be rigorous and there was no |
| a sovereign nation can take as it clearly dictates in | | | | assurance of uninterrupted fuel supplies for the |
| which a country's foreign policy should move. | | | | civilian reactors. In fact, India could not reprocess |
| "It is impossible to have a minimum credible | | | | the used fuel nor could it ship it back to the U.S. |
| deterrent without conducting nuclear tests. But | | | | unless its Congress approved the reshipment". |
| the bill indicates that the cooperation will be | | | | This clause of the act is a major irritant for total |
| terminated if this is done," former Atomic Energy | | | | cooperation in the nuclear field between the two |
| Commission Chairman P K Iyengar said. For the | | | | countries as it negates the issue of equal parity. If |
| Indian nuclear program to continue in a peaceful | | | | accepted by India our nuclear program would get |
| manner future test for having a minimum | | | | dependant of the supply of nuclear fuel by the |
| deterrent would be required. On top of that | | | | United States .As the supply of nuclear fuel would |
| United States should not dictate us as to what | | | | depend on the whims and fancies of the US |
| we should do with our peaceful nuclear program. | | | | administration. The CPI (M) pointed this out in |
| The Indian External Affairs minister says, "India | | | | very clear terms when it said, "on the annual |
| need not worry about the legislation passed by | | | | good conduct certification by the U.S. President |
| the US Congress as it is meant for the US | | | | the agreement would be in perpetuity, there was |
| lawmakers. India is obliged only to the bilateral | | | | a possibility of the screws being tightened, if a |
| agreement (123 Agreement),"He further stated in | | | | Democrat, having different views on nuclear |
| the parliament, "I would like to inform the House | | | | non-proliferation, came to power" |
| that the US Administration has categorically | | | | On a similar note the BJP pointed out "the |
| assured us that this legislation enables the United | | | | certification and reporting requirements continued |
| States to fulfill all of the commitments it made to | | | | to be rigorous and there was no assurance of |
| India in the July 18 and March 2 Joint Statements | | | | uninterrupted fuel supplies for the civilian reactors. |
| and that this legislation explicitly authorizes civil | | | | India was forbidden from nuclear testing, even of |
| nuclear cooperation with India in a manner fully | | | | the kind permitted by the CTBT, and the |
| consistent with those two Statements. We fully | | | | weapons program would be subjected to intrusive |
| expect the July 18 Statement and the March 2 | | | | U.S. scrutiny. "The deal is more unequal than ever |
| Separation Plan to be reflected in the text of the | | | | before. The principle of parity, on which the Prime |
| 123 Agreement". | | | | Minister had placed so much emphasis, stands |
| However question arises which both the CPI (M) | | | | abandoned". The nuclear scientists of India have |
| and the BJP has pointed out rightly that there | | | | also pointed out that India will only get a limited |
| cannot be sea changes in the 123 agreement | | | | supply of nuclear fuel and not a lifetime supply. |
| from what has been passed by the American | | | | With objections being raised from all quarters the |
| Congress. | | | | government of India should do a serious rethink |
| The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded that | | | | on the whole deal itself. It should make the stand |
| the Government reject the "Henry J. Hyde United | | | | of India very clear to President Bush. The |
| States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation | | | | government of India argues that the agreement |
| Act of 2006," passed by the U.S. Congress | | | | between India and the USA would be based on |
| instead of "accepting the humiliating conditionalities | | | | the "123 agreement" as such we should not be |
| contained in it." The former Union Minister, | | | | bothered about their internal legislation. The other |
| Yashwant Sinha said, "final product is now before | | | | four more agreements to follow were the Indian |
| us and it does not look good. The Act passed by | | | | Safeguard Agreement with the International |
| the U.S. legislature leaves us in no doubt that the | | | | Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the "123 |
| purpose of the deal is to bilaterally impose on | | | | Agreement" for bilateral cooperation with the U.S., |
| India conditionalities which are worse than those in | | | | the new guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group |
| the NPT [Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty] and the | | | | and the Additional Protocol, also with the IAEA. As |
| CTBT [Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty]. This is | | | | the BJP and the CPI (M) have rightly pointed out |
| why a slim four-page bill is now a 41-page | | | | the other four agreements will flow from this Act. |
| document," | | | | The clause in relation to Iran is also a direct |
| The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said | | | | interference in our foreign policy. The CPI (M) has |
| that the United States' legislation on the nuclear | | | | rightly pointed out "The agreement is between |
| deal was "not acceptable," and asked the | | | | India and the United States and not for Iran. Even |
| Manmohan Singh Government to discontinue talks | | | | the preamble goes beyond nuclear cooperation |
| with the George Bush administration, as the law | | | | and there is an attempt to bind India to U.S. |
| contradicted most significant assurances given by | | | | strategic interests in the name of partnership." |
| the Prime Minister to Parliament. The statement | | | | The looking into the overall pact as of now it |
| of the Polit Bureau said, "Obviously, the U.S. | | | | seems to be highly insulting for India to accept it |
| administration is bound by the provisions of its | | | | in its present form. It would be prudent enough |
| Act while negotiating this agreement. This cannot | | | | for the Indian Government to tell the Bush |
| be accepted by India, as it negates the most | | | | administration a point or two. To accept the deal |
| significant, if not all, assurances given by the Prime | | | | in its present form would be suicidal for India She |
| Minister to Parliament. Thus, further negotiations | | | | cannot afford to do this, as this would be at the |
| on this score must not proceed.'' | | | | expense of our age-old independent foreign policy. |
| The agreement will place a cap on India's nuclear | | | | We cannot accept such dictation from Uncle Sam |
| program and will compromise not just India's | | | | and company .Let us be clear on this once for all. |