Optimistic Burns in New Delhi; Nuclear deal in its last stage
Sadiq Ali
New Delhi
Thu, 31 May 2007: May 31: US interlocutor for coveted Indo-US civilian nuclear deal arrived today with a hope that India??s nuclear isolation would end very soon.
The Under Secretary of State for political affairs told media here on his arrival that the two countries are at the last stage of formalizing the deal. ??We e nearly there?, Burns told media at south block after his arrival to take forward technical level talks on the 123 agreement to resume nuclear commerce between two countries after a 30 year gap.
Nicholas Burns is in New Delhi on a three-day visit to discuss the final format of 123 agreements ahead of the meeting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George Bush in Germany. The two leaders are expected to meet on the sidelines of G8 summit on June 6.
??This (the nuclear deal) represents the most ambitious US proposal in 30 years. It will bring out India from nuclear isolation,? told Burns before joining the talks on the coveted agreement being held between senior officials of the two countries.
Besides discussing the various apprehensions put forward by New Delhi with foreign secretary Shivshanker Menon, Burns is scheduled to meet Manmohan Singh. New Delhi is apprehensive about the liberty of further nuclear tests besides uninterrupted fuel supplies for its civilian nuclear programme.
Some US law makers are in favour of ceasing further nuclear tests by New Delhi as they are of the opinion that nuclear fuel supply meant for civilian programme might be used to increase the number of nuclear war heads. Reprocessing of spent fuel and the technology for reprocessing are also expected to be discussed during Burns visit.
Burn is heading the delegation which includes his chief technical negotiator Richard Stratford and Ashley Tellis, a strategic expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who had played a key role in structuring and implementing the India-US civilian nuclear deal, besides others. While as New Delhi will be represented by S. Jaishankar, Indian high commissioner to Singapore who has been involved in the nuclear talks earlier, and top officials of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) headed by Shivshanker Menon.
Mutual agreement over the final draft might not be easy as Manmohan Singh led government might find themselves at odds in the backdrop of a demand of opposition along with Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), who wants the confidence of parliament to be taken before the 123 agreement is announced. Since parliament is not in session, the opposition leaders are expected to be consulted before the deal is announced.
Besides control over the country??s strategic nuclear program the opposition also wants government??s assurance about the independence over foreign policy. Last year, when India voted against the nuclear programme, opposition accused government of toeing US dictates.
Burns visit came after foreign secretary??s visit to Washington one month back. He discussed some major apprehensions of New Delhi about 123 Agreement. Later on during two-day talks between technical experts in London on May 21-22, both countries clarified its concepts on key issues like nuclear testing and demand for access to reprocessing technologies.