Linking NPT with ENR tech access will be inconsistent: Mulford

Mulford,who was a key member of the US administration that negotiated the civil nuclear deal with India,said if such a demand came then it would not be logical in the “context of why and how the deal was done?”

Access was given to India to the world of civil nuclear commerce with a de-facto recognition that the nuclear weapons existed in this country and that it would not sign the NPT,the former US diplomat told a TV channel.

Mulford also answered in negative when asked if the Obama Administration was trying to minimise its commitment to the nuclear deal as last month only,the US President himself piloted a resolution in UNSC calling upon all countries to sign NPT. “I do not think so”,he said.

Hoping that both the sides will be able to conclude negotiations on reprocessing technology,he said since the completion of the deal in 2008,there have been certain activities to show the commitment for the deal.

On whether India’s importance has diminished under the Obama Administration,Mulford said the new administration has declared that it gives a very high priority to the relationship with India.

“No,I don’t think it is. I think first of all there has been a declaration from the new administration of the very high priority they attached to this relationship and to continue it in future,” he said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be undertaking the first state visit to the US in the Obama Administration from November 23 and high on his priority is to iron out the creases in the implementation of the landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries.

“One has to bear in mind that the administration is still relatively new. There has been lots of other domestic policy distractions,the crisis,the variety of other things which we all know about,” Mulford said.

On the joint statement issued by the US and China for greater role for Beijing in South Asia,he said he cannot comment.

“I cannot comment on that because once again I am not in the administration. The last thing I would want to do is to say or do anything that would anyway impact next week’s state visit.”

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