Rice pushes deal, Democrats blink

“It is not the deal I would have negotiated personally,” Kerry said. “This clearly allows the continued building of weapons.” But, the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate said, “the perfect world is not in our hands.”

Kerry wanted a commitment from Rice about the fissile missile cut-off treaty and the nature of safeguards that India would have with the IAEA. “We will try our best to do so,” Rice responded.

Biden said: “It comes down to a simple bet we are making, that India appreciates as much as we that the two nations have the potential to be anchors for stability.” He also said he would probably vote for it.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar mixed praise with concern. He noted India would submit to more international safeguards. But the Indiana Republican with a strong interest in arms control also said the pact “would not prevent India from expanding its nuclear arsenal.” Her testimony received with considerable skepticism, Rice defended the Bush Administration decision on the deal with India, saying it would deepen US strategic partnership, enhance energy security, benefit environment and create opportunities for US business.

The strongest resistance to the deal came from Senators Barbara Boxer and Paul Sarbens who said it would let India enhance its nuclear capabilities and undermine powers of the Congress.

Boxer said this was rewarding India which has refused to sign the NPT. But Rice made it clear that without the deal “the Indian nuclear power programme would remain opaque, a nuclear black box… our initiative with India does not seek to renegotiate or amend the NPT. India is not, and is not going to become, a member of the NPT as a nuclear weapon state.”

— (With AP report)