By NIRMALA GEORGE
The Associated Press
Thursday, August 17, 2006; 3:24 PM
NEW DELHI -- India will not agree to any changes to a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation deal reached with the U.S. last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday. Singh made a detailed presentation to parliament on the deal after opposition parties accused the government of succumbing to U.S. pressures to limit India's nuclear program.
President Bush and Singh signed an agreement in July 2005 allowing U.S. agencies and companies to sell India nuclear fuel and technology.
In return, India would have to strengthen nuclear safeguards, allow international inspections of its civilian facilities, and separate its civilian and military nuclear programs. Eight reactors that India identified as military would remain off-limits.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the deal last month but added stringent new clauses, including requiring annual certification on the use of the technology and fuel for peaceful purposes.
Singh said India will not accept "external supervision" of its research and development work in the nuclear field of its strategic programs.
"We have made it clear that India's strategic program is outside the purview of the agreement," he said. "We will stick to the parameters of the agreement signed in Washington last year and this alone will be the acceptable basis of nuclear cooperation between India and the United States."
Singh's lengthy defense of the nuclear deal followed angry speeches from opposition leaders denouncing the nuclear agreement.
The premier has come under increasing criticism from opposition parties and his own allies, who are seeking assurances that India's nuclear program would not be curbed by U.S. legislators.
"We have never been in doubt about the deleterious impact of this deal," said Yashwant Sinha, a former foreign minister belonging to the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
Other lawmakers expressed concern about changes to the terms of the agreement, including a threat to revoke the deal if India conducts a nuclear test.
India says the deal with the U.S. will allow it to overcome severe energy shortages by using nuclear power to fuel its booming economy, one of the fastest growing in the world.
The Bush administration says it will create business and jobs for American companies and citizens and reward a friendly country with a proven record of nuclear nonproliferation.
