US takes n-deal to fuel suppliers

MICS - India by Shekhar kulshreshtha

Posted online: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 0000 hrs

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US n-regulatory panel chief will visit Tarapur and talk to DAE this week

NEW DELHI, MARCH 20: Having tabled the legislation before its Congress to enable a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India, US will now take the next important step this week and brief the Nuclear Suppliers Group at Vienna on the deal struck with India.

New Delhi has also been doing its bit ahead of the meeting. Last Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran briefed all NSG ambassadors represented in India (nearly 35) on the separation plan and how India is planning to meet all its obligations.

At the Vienna meeting starting Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State for international security and non-proliferation Stephen Rademaker and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher will brief the NSG’s Consultative Group and explain how the deal strengthens the non-proliferation regime.

Significantly, Commissioner of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Peter Lyons will be here around the time the NSG meets. Lyons, who starts his trip on Wednesday, will also visit Tarapur and meet with DAE officials. He will look at the safety, regulatory and management aspects while firming up a view, which could be important as the Congress debates the legislation, on standards and practices being adopted by India.

It’s learnt that a senior Indian diplomat will also be going from Delhi to be present in Vienna.

The Consultative Group comprises key officials from all 45 members and decides by consensus. It is the important functional layer below the NSG Plenary. The plenary, which also includes political representatives, will be the all-important meeting where the final call will be made and this is expected to take place end of May or early June.

This will be the first time when the NSG will be fully briefed on details of the understanding which was still in the works when the Consultative Group met the last time. This will include the separation plan developed by India and the legislation which Bush Administration is pushing through in its Congress.

While this group is not the decision-making body, its observations will count as individual countries mull over the presentation before the plenary meets.

The Russian decision to supply fuel for Tarapur reactors under the safety exception clause is also expected to come up during the discussions and New Delhi will hope this does not balloon into an issue big enough to alter views of NSG members.