Jul 29 2007, WASHINGTON: Stating that India was a “unique” case, the Bush
administration has ruled out a similar civilian nuclear deal with any other
country including ally Pakistan, and stressed that the “very high bar” of the
Nuclear Suppliers Group on proliferation would prevent other nations from
getting the same “treatment” as New Delhi.
“This is complicated enough, I can assure you, that the United States is not
going to suggest a similar deal with any other country in the world. We’ve
always felt of India as an exception,” Under Secretary of State for Political
Affairs Nicholas Burns said during a briefing on the Indian civilian nuclear
initiative here on Friday.
“We have made the argument that India has not proliferated its nuclear
technology; that India, in effect, outside the system, has played by the rules
and that the system would be strengthened by bringing it in. But we’re not
anticipating, in any way, shape or form, a similar deal for any other country,”
he said.
Mr. Burns said once India completed a safeguards agreement with IAEA chief
Mohamed El Baradei, “then the action — September, October, I hope, November —
will turn to the NSG.”
He said there was a “very high bar” in the NSG as “every single one of the 45
countries has to agree” for a consensus.
|