Diplomats from India and the United States will hold talks this week to outline the practical steps needed under a deal to increase co-operation in civilian nuclear energy, officials said Sunday.
A team from the US State and Energy departments and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will arrive in New Delhi late Sunday, a US embassy spokesman said.
"The talks will be spread over three days beginning Monday," the spokesman said. It "reflects a desire to establish a framework for broad-ranging peaceful nuclear co-operation."
According to an article posted on the US State Department website, the agreement reached during US President George W. Bush's visit to India in March paves the way for sanctions on the sale of civilian nuclear technology sales to India to be lifted.
India tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and 1998 and has been banned by the United States and other countries from buying fuel for reactors and other related equipment as a result.
The March deal, still awaiting a green light from the US Congress, will allow India access to civilian nuclear technology by amending the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
In return, New Delhi has agreed to place 14 of its 22 atomic reactors under international safeguards.
Meanwhile, the "123 agreement" that will be negotiated this week, and also needs approval by the US Congress - will outline the rules of the proposed nuclear trade between New Delhi and Washington.
Both countries will try and work out differences over a provision in the "123 agreement" that bars New Delhi from conducting atomic tests, officials said.
New Delhi has also objected to a provision giving the United States the legal right to halt nuclear co-operation if India tests a nuclear weapon.
New Delhi wants assurances that the flow of technology, including reactors and fuel, will not be interrupted.
"If Congress refuses to modify the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the administration could move ahead with the 123 agreement, but it would have to issue annual presidential waivers to India for the nuclear trade," the US State Department said on its website.
"These waivers would have to be submitted to Congress for approval each year."
According to US Under-secretary of State Nicholas Burns, Washington gave New Delhi a draft of the 123 agreement in March.
Comments
Comments are closed.