Key ‘India-unfriendly’ US Congman comes out supporting n-deal

This is, perhaps, the best news India has heard in the past few months as its efforts gathered fresh momentum this week. With Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran handing over India’s draft of the proposed bilateral agreement to US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns in London yesterday, negotiations are expected to begin within the next couple of weeks.

The Bush Administration has been discussing ways with the US Congress to get the legislation approved soon. The sense emerging from Washington as well as after the London talks is that the proposed legislation would be put to vote but so will the agreement after it has been negotiated.

The other piece of good news for India was the endorsement by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the US-India Energy Cooperation Bill two days ago.

Sponsored by SFRC Chairman Richard Lugar, the Bill address cooperation in all other fields of energy except nuclear. Pending since last November, this Bill will now be put to vote in the 100-member Senate.

From an Indian standpoint, however, the principal area of concern is mustering support in the House of Representatives for the legislation. It is here that Burton’s support has come as a shot in the arm. In the midst of all the confusion and doubt over the fate of the deal, the endorsement from the hardest critic of India is being seen as the most encouraging step.

In the past, Burton drew the sharpest criticism from his colleagues when he tried to push an amendment for cutting US aid to India by 25% as a measure to “punish” India on its poor human rights record, particularly in Kashmir. Ackerman and the India caucus had come out strongly against the move and he had to withdraw the proposal.

But there has now been a change of heart. This clearly reflects in the letter Burton took the lead to prepare. Besides enumerating the commitments undertaken by India through the July 18 joint statement, he praises India’s “excellent past record of controlling sensitive technologies”.

“For 30 years, India has protected its nuclear programmes. It has not engaged in or allowed proliferation of its nuclear technology.

Simply put, India is treated uniquely because of its history of maintaining a successful nuclear non-proliferation regime.”

–pranab.dhal.samanta@expressindia.com