NSG: The next big step for N-deal
NDTV Correspondent
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, (New Delhi)
It's the next big step for the Indo-US nuclear deal and the most difficult one of all.
Less than 24 hours from now, a crucial day two meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will begin in Vienna to consider whether to make an unprecedented change in their rules for India - whether to allow nuclear commerce with a country that has not signed the NPT?
The nuclear deal cannot go ahead without the NSG's approval and it works by consensus.
But several countries are opposed to the deal and one of them, Ireland, has told NDTV that they still have serious concerns.
In a statement they have said, "Since the deal was first mooted, Ireland has been to the fore in raising questions and expressing serious concerns, particularly about its effects on the international non-proliferation regime. We are also aware of the importance attached to the deal by India, and of the considerable support which exists for it. We are currently examining the text of the US proposal. The draft decision has clear implications for the NPT and non-proliferation regime."
Top Indian officials led by the Foreign Secretary are in Vienna to do some last minute lobbying.
New Zealand too may create problems. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Prime Minister Helen Clark said that New Zealand, as a nuclear free state, was concerned about the deal. She said, "It would be no secret that we would like to see more conditionalities around the agreement. We are pursing this diplomatically."