US to treat India as N-power, fuel Tarapore

The Pioneer ^ | 7/18/05 | Tarun Basu

[voletti]

PM agrees to IAEA scrutiny, moratorium on N-tests, adherence to MTCR ----- The US has decided to treat India at par with recognised nuclear weapon states and accord it all their "benefits and advantages". This includes nuclear fuel supplies for safeguarded civilian nuclear reactors at Tarapore.

US President George Bush will work to remove Congressional constraints that stand in the way of American supplies of nuclear fuel and dual use technology to India. He will also work with other recognised nuclear power countries towards this end.

In turn, India has "reciprocally" agreed to assume "responsibilities and practices" of leading countries with advanced nuclear technology, like the US, including voluntarily placing its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, continuing unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests and adherence, among other things, to Missile Technology Control Regime and Nuclear Suppliers' Group guidelines.

The path-breaking decisions that signify radical shifts in American and Indian nuclear policies are contained in the India-US joint statement issued after a summit level meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George Bush in the White House on Monday morning.

The joint statement, which took nearly five hours to hammer out, says: "President Bush conveyed his appreciation to the Prime Minister over India's strong commitment to preventing weapons of mass destruction proliferation and stated that as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology India should acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states."

[voletti]

If the US is worried about Chinese nukes and perhaps more importantly, 'islamic nukes' (courtsey Pakistan), then they'd get no better ally than India as a longterm investment in strategic counterbalance in the long term.

Go, baby, go!

[Saberwielder]

If this is true, its a very good move. But the Bush administration should resist at any cost any suggestion to treat Pakistan at the same level as India with regard to nuclear power.

[softwarecreator]

and accord it all their "benefits and advantages"

I heard this club has a good dental plan and a really cool secret handshake.

[zarf]

and a really cool secret handshake.

[softwarecreator]

HAHHAHA .... that is so funny!