Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, Sept 24 (PTI) In yet another twist to the
controversy dogging the Indo-US nuclear deal, a powerful
Senate panel has approved a bill that seeks to prevent the
transfer to India of nuclear equipment, materials or
technology from the N.S.G. countries or any other source in
the event of violation of U.S. laws.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted
overwhelmingly to approve the bill by 19-2 sending it to the
full Senate but questions remained whether Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush would be able to
sign the 123 Agreement when they meet on Thursday.
The U.S. Congress, which is yet to approve the deal,
is busy with the financial crisis and it is not clear whether
the deal will pass muster in the current session slated to end
on September 26.
One of the provisions of the bill adopted by the
Committee makes it clear that "...it is the policy of the U.S.
to seek to prevent the transfer to India of nuclear equipment,
materials, or technology from other participating governments
in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) or from any other
source."
Such a contingency would arise in the event nuclear
transfers to India are suspended or terminated in pursuance
of provisions of the Hyde Act, the Atomic Energy Act or any
other U.S. law, the provision in the bill reads.
The bill also mandates that the deal will be subject
to the provisions of the Hyde Act, Atomic Energy Act and other
U.S. laws, an issue on which India insists that it was bound
only by the 123 Agreement.