ID :
18768
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 10:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/18768
The shortlink copeid
Fuel supplies will be governed by 123 agreement: U.S.
New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Amid a controversy over a State Department letter, the U.S. Tuesday said the fuel supplies to India will be governed by the 123 agreement even as it insisted that there was nothing in the letter that is "unknown" to New Delhi.
U.S. Ambassador David C. Mulford insisted that there was
"no discrepancy" between the 123 agreement and the views
expressed by the Bush administration in the letter to Howard
Berman, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee, in which
the State Department said the assurance of fuel supplies was
not to insulate India against consequences of a nuclear test.
"There is nothing new (in the letter) that Government of
India did not know. The content in the material was known. The
content is what we have discussed (with India)," the U.S.
Ambassador said, insisting that there is "no discrepancy" in
the letter.
He said the fuel supplies will be governed by the 123
agreement.
New Delhi is agitated over the contents of the letter,
saying it gives an impression that the Bush administration is
interpreting the 123 agreement differently as the pact makes
it clear that the U.S. will ensure uninterrupted supplies.
"It is a straight forward issue... the fuel assurances
are contained in the language of the 123 agreement and the
discussions that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President
George W. Bush had in March 2006," Mulford said.
"These are the fuel assurances ... there is no other fuel
assurance," he said, adding "Whatever are the fuel assurances
in the civilian nuclear cooperation will be governed by the
123 bilateral agreement."
On transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology,
Mulford said the current U.S. law does not allow it with
regard to any country but could not say if any changes would
be made in future in the policy.
Asked to comment on External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee's remarks that India will not enter into civilian
nuclear pacts with any country till the U.S. Congress approves
the 123 agreement, Mulford merely said "that is correct".
The U.S. has already said India should ensure that it
does not put its companies at "disadvantage" after getting the
N.S.G. waiver, suggesting that it should hold on till the
American Congress approves the 123 agreement.
India has civilian nuclear agreements with Russia and
France ready and pending signatures. PTI AKK
U.S. Ambassador David C. Mulford insisted that there was
"no discrepancy" between the 123 agreement and the views
expressed by the Bush administration in the letter to Howard
Berman, Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee, in which
the State Department said the assurance of fuel supplies was
not to insulate India against consequences of a nuclear test.
"There is nothing new (in the letter) that Government of
India did not know. The content in the material was known. The
content is what we have discussed (with India)," the U.S.
Ambassador said, insisting that there is "no discrepancy" in
the letter.
He said the fuel supplies will be governed by the 123
agreement.
New Delhi is agitated over the contents of the letter,
saying it gives an impression that the Bush administration is
interpreting the 123 agreement differently as the pact makes
it clear that the U.S. will ensure uninterrupted supplies.
"It is a straight forward issue... the fuel assurances
are contained in the language of the 123 agreement and the
discussions that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President
George W. Bush had in March 2006," Mulford said.
"These are the fuel assurances ... there is no other fuel
assurance," he said, adding "Whatever are the fuel assurances
in the civilian nuclear cooperation will be governed by the
123 bilateral agreement."
On transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology,
Mulford said the current U.S. law does not allow it with
regard to any country but could not say if any changes would
be made in future in the policy.
Asked to comment on External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee's remarks that India will not enter into civilian
nuclear pacts with any country till the U.S. Congress approves
the 123 agreement, Mulford merely said "that is correct".
The U.S. has already said India should ensure that it
does not put its companies at "disadvantage" after getting the
N.S.G. waiver, suggesting that it should hold on till the
American Congress approves the 123 agreement.
India has civilian nuclear agreements with Russia and
France ready and pending signatures. PTI AKK
