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Journalism of Courage
Buoyed by the IAEA8217;s approval of the India-specific safeguards pact, the US vowed to push through 8216;expeditiously8217; the NSG process but said New Delhi would have to answer 8216;a lot of questions8217; to secure a waiver from the 45-nation bloc when it meets later this month.
Describing the IAEA decision as a 8216;major step8217;, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told reporters here that 8220;now the next step is the NSG.8221;
The 35-member IAEA Board of Governors gave its nod to the India-specific safeguards agreement, a key step to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal, on Friday while the NSG members are expected to meet in Vienna on August 21 to discuss the matter.
8220;If we could do that NSG process expeditiously we can deliver the package to the US Congress in September. We have a lot to to in short term. We hope we can bring it to fruition,8221; Boucher said.
8220;Well by the time we get to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, we hope no country will object. It is simply a process we have been working on with countries who had questions and are getting those questions answered,8221; said Boucher, who is in the Sri Lankan capital as an observer to the regional SAARC summit.
