Hillary for Indo-US nuke deal

An open statement of support from Hillary, political observers here say, has boosted India8217;s chances in the Senate.

The legislation approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is an improvement over the proposal by the Bush administration, which Hillary said sought to 8216;8216;undercut8217;8217; Congressional authority by asking them to approve an agreement even before it had been negotiated with India, and before India reached its nuclear safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

She said it retains Congressional prerogatives and also ensures that the Congress will not have to vote to approve a final agreement until every nation in the Nuclear Suppliers Group NSG agreed to permit the transfer of peaceful nuclear technology.

8216;8216;By working through the NSG, we will help strengthen the group and the greater international nonproliferation regime that is centre stage as we address the threats posed by the nuclear weapons programmes of Iran and North Korea,8217;8217; she said.