ID :
14595
Sat, 08/02/2008 - 08:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/14595
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India-specific safeguards agreement may get I.A.E.A. nod
Vienna, Aug 2 (PTI) The India-specific safeguards pact, crucial for the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal to move forward, is expected to be approved by the I.A.E.A. Board of Governors here Friday amid indications that China and Pakistan mayabstain in case there is a vote.
The crucial one-day meeting will see statements delivered by the Indian and US Ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.) as well as bythe nuclear watchdog's Director General Mohamed ElBaradei.
With the US and India going allout to get a comprehensivebacking of the 35-member Board of Governors of the I.A.E.A.
and its inspections plan by consensus, I.A.E.A. sourcesindicated that the approval process may not face any hurdles.
Pakistan's attempts to force a vote seems futile after the US nudged Islamabad not to block the approval or seekamendments.
I.A.E.A. sources said the safeguards text is likely to be approved by a consensus but in the highly unlikely event of avote, China as well as its ally Pakistan may well abstain.
Lobbying hard for the safeguards text, the U.S. has said that the pact was a net gain for global non-proliferation, placing India's declared civilian nuclear energy plants--14 of22 existing or planned reactors--under regular I.A.E.A. watch.
US Ambassador to the I.A.E.A. Gregory L. Schulte said thepact was sound.
Nicholas Burns, one of the architects of the the Indo-US nuclear deal, said in Washington "my conviction is that this deal strengthens the non proliferation regime...it makes India a stakeholder." Atomic Energy Commission Chief Anil Kakodkar and other top nuclear officials are here for negotiations on the safeguards agreement and an Additional Protocol to be cleared by the I.A.E.A. and to convince N.S.G. members to give New Delhi a "clean" waiver for implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. PTI LV
The crucial one-day meeting will see statements delivered by the Indian and US Ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.) as well as bythe nuclear watchdog's Director General Mohamed ElBaradei.
With the US and India going allout to get a comprehensivebacking of the 35-member Board of Governors of the I.A.E.A.
and its inspections plan by consensus, I.A.E.A. sourcesindicated that the approval process may not face any hurdles.
Pakistan's attempts to force a vote seems futile after the US nudged Islamabad not to block the approval or seekamendments.
I.A.E.A. sources said the safeguards text is likely to be approved by a consensus but in the highly unlikely event of avote, China as well as its ally Pakistan may well abstain.
Lobbying hard for the safeguards text, the U.S. has said that the pact was a net gain for global non-proliferation, placing India's declared civilian nuclear energy plants--14 of22 existing or planned reactors--under regular I.A.E.A. watch.
US Ambassador to the I.A.E.A. Gregory L. Schulte said thepact was sound.
Nicholas Burns, one of the architects of the the Indo-US nuclear deal, said in Washington "my conviction is that this deal strengthens the non proliferation regime...it makes India a stakeholder." Atomic Energy Commission Chief Anil Kakodkar and other top nuclear officials are here for negotiations on the safeguards agreement and an Additional Protocol to be cleared by the I.A.E.A. and to convince N.S.G. members to give New Delhi a "clean" waiver for implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. PTI LV
