US Senate passes Indian nuclear deal

US: The US Senate has endorsed a landmark US-India nuclear agreement, removing the final legislative hurdle for resumption of civilian nuclear trade between the two countries after three decades.

Senators voted 86-13 late Wednesday to give overwhelming approval to the deal lifting a ban on civilian nuclear trade imposed after India first conducted a nuclear test explosion in 1974. The agreement, which will help provide critical energy to fuel India’s booming economy, was already approved by the US House of Representatives at the weekend by a 298-117 vote.

It was a rare foreign policy success for President George W. Bush, and advocates said the solid congressional backing underscored bipartisan support for the deal designed to improve relations with India, the world’s most populous democracy.

Bush hailed the Senate’s approval of the deal.

“This legislation will strengthen our global nuclear nonproliferation efforts, protect the environment, create jobs, and assist India in meeting its growing energy needs in a responsible manner,” Bush said.

“I look forward to signing this bill into law and continuing to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership,” the US leader said. “This is one of the most important strategic diplomatic initiatives undertaken in the last decade,” said senior Republican Senator Richard Lugar.

“By concluding this pact, the US has embraced a long-term outlook that will give us new diplomatic options and improve global stability,” he said.

At attempt by several senators to amend the agreement to make it clear that the deal would be scrapped if India carried out further nuclear test explosions was rejected as not necessary in a unanimous vote. “If India resumes testing, the 123 agreement is over,” Lugar said, citing US laws and persistent assurances from the State Department.

Washington, Thursday, AFP