New Delhi
03 July 2008
A senior U.S. Congressman visiting India says time is running out forNew Delhi to finalize a civilian nuclear deal with the United States. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi that India's Congress Party-ledcoalition government indicated it will press ahead with the pact,despite strong opposition from its left-wing allies.
Afterholding talks with senior Indian officials in New Delhi, U.S.Congressman Gary Ackerman said there is very little time left for NewDelhi to seal a civilian nuclear energy pact with the presentadministration in the United States.
The civilian nuclear accordsigned in 2006 would allow India access to civilian nuclear technology,even though it has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
ButIndia still needs approvals from the International Atomic Energy Agencyand a waiver from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group before the pactcan go to the U.S. Congress.
Congressman Ackerman, who ischairman of the House of Representatives committee on South and WestAsia, says time is getting shorter.
"We will in all likelihoodadjourn in September for the rest of the year," he said. "My concern iswith the calendar running as quickly as it is, it [nuke deal] now needsa go ahead signal from an international agency, approval by the NuclearSuppliers Group, and we do not know that can we done before September."
In New Delhi, the Congress Party is making frantic efforts to salvage the pact.
Thepact has been in virtual limbo due to opposition from the government'scommunist allies, who say it will compromise India's sovereignty.
Butin recent days, Congress Party officials have indicated that New Delhiwill go ahead and negotiate with the International Atomic EnergyAgency, despite repeated warnings by the communists that such a stepwill prompt them to withdraw support.
The Congress Party hasbeen in talks with a small party, the Samajwadi Party - and is hopingto gets its support in parliament if left parties walk out of thecoalition.
The Samajwadi Party has made no commitments, saying it wants to get expert opinion on the merits of the deal.
Theprime minister says the deal is needed to safeguard India's energysecurity and ensure fuel supplies for its growing economy.
Thenuclear pact is seen as a landmark accord, that if finalized, willbring New Delhi closer to Washington and become the centerpiece of anew strategic relationship between the two countries.