No abrupt end to N-deal, assures US

With the remarks of US creating an uproar in India, Washington said that India retains its right to conduct N-test and it would not call for automatic suspension of the deal.

With the remarks of the US State Department spokesman creating an uproar in India, Washington has clarified to New Delhi that its position remains that the civil nuclear cooperation will not be suspended automatically even if an atomic test was conducted.

“It has been reiterated to us that the US position remains as it had been articulated earlier at an authoritative level,” said Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen.

The Bush administration has “reiterated” that India “retains its right to (conduct a nuclear) test and the US retains its right to react,” Sen said, adding, however that “this reaction will not be automatic suspension of all cooperation.”

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The clarification comes four days after State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, “the proposed 123 Agreement has provisions in it that in an event of a nuclear test by India, then all nuclear cooperation is terminated.”

This remark triggered an upheaval in India’s political arena with the government’s Left allies and opposition parties targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and accusing him of “misleading” the country.

The Left parties alleged that some “facts were being concealed” by the government.

The Indian government has pointed out that 123 agreement is silent on the issue of testing, implying that New Delhi has not lost the right to explode a nuclear bomb, if required, in national interest.

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The Prime Minister told Parliament on Monday that the agreement to operationalise the civilian nuclear deal would not affect India’s right to undertake future nuclear tests.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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