Vienna - India came one step closer to gaining access to the
international nuclear trade Friday as the UN nuclear watchdog's board
unanimously approved an inspection protocol with the country.
For India, the so-called Safeguards Agreement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a precondition before
the US Congress can ratify the 2005 US-India nuclear deal which gives
India access to civilian nuclear fuel and technology from abroad.
'I believe the agreement is good for India, is good for the world,
is good for non-proliferation, is good for our collective effort to
move toward a world free from nuclear weapons,' IAEA Director General
Mohammed ElBaradei told reporters.
ElBaradei said he hoped that including India in the nuclear
mainstream would help to bring the country into a debate on global
nuclear disarmament.
Anil Kakodkar, the head of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission,
said the safeguards agreement and the India-US deal were very
important for India and the world 'as it meets the twin objectives
of energy security as well as on global climate change.'
After separating its nuclear weapons programme from its energy
sector, India will allow the IAEA to monitor 14 of its 22 power
reactors operating or under construction, up from the six reactors
currently being inspected.
As India moved towards gaining access to global nuclear markets
even though it has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT), ElBaradei said that Pakistan could get similar treatment.
He saw no reason why Pakistan should not also 'have access to
peaceful nuclear technology under appropriate circumstances,' he
said.
According to diplomats, several Middle Eastern states including
Iran and Saudi Arabia warned the board on Friday that the safeguards
agreement and the India-US deal would create a precedent for offering
Israel a similar deal that contains no obligation for nuclear
disarmament.
Like India, Israel and Pakistan have atom bombs while remaining
outside the non-proliferation regime.
Though all 35 board members green-lighted India's safeguards plan,
several called on India to sign the nonproliferation treaty after
getting rid of its nuclear weapons, and to adhere to the global
nuclear test ban treaty.
Some countries remained concerned that provisions in the preamble
of the agreement could allow India to cease IAEA inspections if its
foreign nuclear supplies were interrupted after a nuclear test.
The present safeguards agreement would 'diminish the concept of
comprehensive verification' of nuclear facilities, Austria, Costa
Rica, the Netherlands and Norway said in a joint statement.
Ahead of the approval of India's inspection agreement, ElBaradei
assured member states that it does not have any loopholes and will go
on indefinitely.
Before the US Congress can approve the US-India deal to bring it
into force, the Nuclear Suppliers Group of nuclear exporting
countries will have to make an exemption for India, as the group
normally exports only to NPT members.
Countries such as Austria and Switzerland are expected to demand
guarantees that India does not conduct further nuclear tests before
agreeing to the export control changes, diplomats said.
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