Disclosures in U.S. document routine: Blackwill

New Delhi, Sept 4 (PTI) Former U.S. Ambassador to
India Robert Blackwill on Thursday described as "routine"
communication the disclosures that Washington could terminate
the Indo-U.S. atomic deal if New Delhi conducts a nuclear test
in the future.

Downplaying contents of a 26-page document released by
Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, Blackwill said, "It as such was a communication
between one branch of the U.S. Government to another and has
no political ramifications for any other country".

"This is routine. It doesn't have anything to do with
any force or impact outside the relationship between the
executive and the government in the United States," he said at
a conference on Indo-U.S. relations.

Asserting that in the United States there was an
across the board support for strong Indo-U.S. relations, he
said, "the adminstration, led by Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice, has done everything in its power diplomatically to
ensure that the deal gets N.S.G. clearance".

Blackwill, however, added whatever be the results at
the final N.S.G. meeting, the relationship between India and
the United States would not be affected.

"If the two countries do not succeed in getting the
deal through, it would be unfortunate and the United States
should insist on a two-thirds majority in the future,"
Blackwill said.

According to the former U.S. Ambassador, the biggest
issue would be the vote at the Nuclear Suppliers Group
(N.S.G.).

"The worst scenario would be if the consensus which is
evolved by the United States and other countries goes against
India," he said.

He further added that the only caveat in U.S.-India
relations was the "Indian communist party's objections".

"But I think in both the cases the news would be good
and the relationship would go on," Blackwill added.

In controversial disclosures on the eve of the meeting
of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.), the U.S. on
Wednesday made it clear that it will stop fuel supplies and
other nuclear cooperation if India conducts a nuclear test.

The U.S. position, which appears at variance with New
Delhi's interpretation of some key clauses of the Indo-U.S.
nuclear deal, was made public just before the two-day meeting
of the 45-nation N.S.G. in Vienna which will consider a waiver
that will enable India do nuclear commerce.