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U.S. Concerns Over Russia-India Nuclear Fuel Deal

Posted on: Friday, 17 March 2006, 09:00 CST

U.S. concerns over Russia-India nuclear fuel deal

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The United States voiced on Thursday its opposition to Russia's decision to supply India with nuclear fuel, saying that such a deal should not be made until India honors its nuclear deal with the United States.

Speaking to reporters about India, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said Washington was aware of India's energy needs.

"We think the proper sequencing would be that if India needs nuclear fuel for its reactors in Tarapur, that the proper way to do this would be to have the US Congress act, hopefully change our laws, have the NSG act and change NSG practices, and then countries would be free to engage at that point in civil nuclear trade with India."

Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov is due to visit India on Thursday. During his visit, Fradkov is expected to sign with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh an agreement for the supply of 60 tons of uranium.

The United States signed a nuclear deal with India earlier this month making possible for U.S. transfer of civilian nuclear technology to India. In return, India has agreed to separate its military and civilian nuclear facilities, and place the civilian ones under international safeguards.

The NSG, abbreviation of the Nuclear Supplier Group, is an informal club of nations that bars member countries from supplying nuclear equipment or fuel to states such as India, which have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The United States and Russia are leading NSG members. The U.S.- India nuclear deal still has to be ratified by the U.S. Congress and the NSG.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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