Key Senate committee backs India nuclear deal

By Carol Giacomo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A key U.S. Senate committee gave
initial approval on Thursday to a sweeping civilian nuclear
cooperation deal with India, hailing it as the cornerstone of
ties with an important new ally.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed bipartisan
legislation endorsing the deal and setting rules for final
approval on a 16 to 2 vote, with little wrangling over
non-proliferation concerns that had dogged earlier debate over
the agreement.

The agreement with India, often a U.S. adversary during the
Cold War, “is the most important strategic diplomatic
initiative undertaken by President (George W.) Bush,” said the
legislation’s prime sponsor, Republican Committee Chairman
Richard Lugar of Indiana.

A separate bill was passed on Tuesday by the House of
Representatives International Relations Committee. Each chamber
must now approve its own bill, then reconcile the competing
versions and take a final vote, which proponents anticipate in
July.

But before Congress can give final approval, U.S.-India
negotiations on the technical details of the nuclear
cooperation agreement must be completed, as must India’s
negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency on a
system of inspections for New Delhi’s civilian nuclear
facilities.

In addition, the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group must
also approve the deal. Pakistan, the United States’ key
frontline ally in its war on terrorism, is upset by the nuclear
deal and is demanding similar treatment, but Washington has
repeatedly rejected the request.

The deal, granting nuclear-armed India access to U.S.
nuclear fuel and reactors for the first time in 30 years, was
agreed in principle by Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh last July 18.

Many non-proliferation experts are concerned the deal would
allow India to increase nuclear weapons production and
otherwise undermine international non-proliferation standards.