AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
WASHINGTON: The US State Department said Friday it was pleased with two congressional committees' quick approval of a controversial nuclear deal with India, but hinted changes in the law may be made before it takes effect.
A deal giving India help to develop civilian nuclear facilities was easily approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, two days after sailing through the House of Representatives' International Relations Committee.
The package must still be approved by the full House and Senate, with the State Department saying Friday it would work closely with both chambers to make sure the landmark legislation takes effect.
“We will continue to work with Congress as we have in the past to address remaining issues in the legislation in the bill,” said State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli.
But Ereli said: “Obviously, it has to go through some more work.”
Ereli refused to specify what types of changes the bill could go through, with opponents to the law arguing it did not include enough safeguards to prevent India from applying the nuclear technology and material to military use.
“The way I'd put it is there are a few remaining issues to be worked out,” Ereli said, stressing the changes were unlikely to be significant enough for them to have to go back for committee votes.
“We think that we'll be able to do that without reopening the whole process or changing the path that has been outlined so far,” Ereli said.
Under the deal, the United States will aid the development of civil nuclear power in India in return for New Delhi placing some of its nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency inspections.
The US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 currently prevents the United States from trading nuclear technology with nations that have not signed up to the Non Proliferation Treaty. The law has to be amended for the India deal to be effective.
India tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and 1998 and, as a result, is currently banned by the United States and other major powers from buying fuel for atomic reactors and other related equipment.
