AFP
Saturday, December 16, 2006
India's top nuclear scientists have repeated their fears that
a landmark nuclear deal with the United States will place limitations
on the country's weapons programme, the media reported Saturday.
The deal allows the export of nuclear fuel and technology to
energy-hungry India for the first time since it first tested a
nuclear device in 1974. US President George W. Bush is expected
to sign the accord on Monday.
But the scientists said the final version of the bill, which
reconciled versions of the legislation approved by the US House
of Representatives and Senate, contained clauses that India had
previously objected to.
"The act makes it explicit that if India conducts such tests,
the nuclear cooperation will be terminated," the scientists
said in a statement published by the Asian Age newspaper.
Three former chairmen of the country's Atomic Energy Commission
were among those who signed the statement.
Under the deal announced by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Bush in July 2005, India, a non-signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT), agreed to place its civilian-use reactors under
global scrutiny.
The agreement includes a set of international safeguards to be
approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the
global nuclear watchdog, and to which India must adhere.
The scientists also raised objections to other clauses, which
require India's participation in US efforts to "dissuade,
isolate, and, if necessary, sanction and contain Iran" in
its alleged efforts to develop nuclear weapons.
"These stipulations... constitute intrusion into India's
independent decision-making and policy matters," the statement
said.
The scientists have appealed to the government to convey their
concerns to the US administration.
Prime Minister Singh is expected to make a statement on the agreement
in parliament on Monday, after which lawmakers will discuss the
deal.
The deal still requires the endorsement of the influential 45-nation
Nuclear Suppliers Group.
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