NSG nod to India-specific proposal in deep trouble: think-tank

Washington, Aug 29 (PTI) Despite intense lobbying, the proposal to give India an exemption from global nuclear trade standards is in deep trouble and there is still a long distance to go, a prominent arms-control think-tank opposed to the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal has said.

"U.S. still working on revised draft and India still demanding "clean and unconditional" waiver. While there is still a distance to go, the proposal to give India a clean exemption from global nuclear trade standards is in deep trouble" Daryl Kimball, the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, has said.

"... As A.C.A. had predicted, but to the apparent
surprise of the Indian and U.S. governments, more than 20
states essentially said 'no thanks' and proposed more than 50
amendments and modifications that would establish some basic,
but vitally important restrictions and conditions on nuclear
trade with India," he said in an e-mail Statement.

"Many of these amendments track with the restrictions
and conditions established in 2006 U.S. legislation regulating
U.S. nuclear trade with India, which include the termination
of nuclear trade if India resumes testing, a ban on the
transfer of uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing
technology, a requirement for permanent and unconditional
facility-specific safeguards and a review mechanism," he said.

Kimball has said that while acknowledging India's
legitimate interest in diversifying its energy options,
responsible like-minded countries like -- Austria, Ireland,
Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and
others -- correctly recognise that the Bush approach is deeply
flawed and would effectively end the N.S.G. as a meaningful
entity.

"It is vital that these and other states stand their
ground," Kimball maintained.

It has been pointed out that over the weekend the U.S.
State Department worked on a revised draft proposal for
consideration at the next scheduled N.S.G. meeting on the
topic on September 4-5 in Vienna.

"There are signs, however, that the process of
developing a revised draft is taking so long that the other 44
members will not have sufficient time to analyse the proposal
and work through their respective national political processes
to enable them to take a decision by next week," Kimball said.

Furthermore, given India's continuing demands for a
"clean and unconditional" exemption, it is unlikely that the
United States can find a way to bridge differences, especially
in such a short period of time, he said making the point that
as of last afternoon the U.S. had still not delivered its
revised proposal to N.S.G. Chair Germany.

"...Some Indian officials and commentators have
suggested that New Delhi may walk away from the deal if the
N.S.G. establishes Hyde Act-like requirements. If that occurs,
so be it," Kimball said going on to bring up the time factor
remaining in the U.S. Congress to get the Initiative through.

"The Indian government's demands have been so
unreasonable that the Bush administration simply can't ram an
India-specific exemption through the N.S.G. without accepting
substantial changes and some common sense restrictions and
conditions" he said.

"In addition, many N.S.G. states have done their
homework and are being reminded why the proposal to exempt
India would be a nonproliferation disaster. N.G.Os and experts
from nearly two dozen countries have been working for months
to publish opeds, encourage newspapers to write editorials
critical of the deal, send letters to their foreign ministers,
and meet with their parliamentarians to help encourage their
governments to help reduce the damage to the nonproliferation
system" he added. PTI