Civilian Nuclear Agreement between India and US on Track

The civilian nuclear deal signed by both Indian and US officials will follow its pre-established schedule, which means it would be debated by the US Senate in September this year, after being approved by the US House of Representatives last month, Richard Boucher, the US Assistant-Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs announced on Monday.

"The nuclear treaty is an extension of what we have done in the past and a symbol of what we can do in the future. The agreement is on track and is moving swiftly forward. The US Senate will examine the contents of the agreement in September and I am sure that it will be cleared in just the way it was entered into by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi", Boucher told the Members of Parliament and industrialists, during a reunion of the FICCI.

Speaking about the deal, which stipulates India being provided with access to US nuclear fuel supplies and civilian nuclear equipment, Boucher added that the final version would basically represent the exact draft upon which both India and the US agreed. However, this statement comes at a highly delicate time, given the fact that the Indian government started expressing concern over the amendments some of the US congressmen proposed to be added to the initial deal.

Following his earlier statement in Washington that India did not have enough proof to accuse Pakistan of the July 11th Bombay explosions, as well as the entire terrorism issue, Boucher asserted that certain terrorist networks in Pakistan still posses "designs" against India. He described the blasts as a "tragedy" adding: "You (people of India) have been hurt by terrorism repeatedly. You are determined to beat that...We remain your partners", and assuring the Indian authorities of the US commitment to cooperating with them in overcoming terrorism.