New Delhi
14 November 2005
Invoking an "understanding" reached between the two
countries, United States Ambassador in India David C Mulford has said that Washington
will want New Delhi to present a "credible" plan for separation of civil and military
nuclear facilities "fairly soon," preferably before the next session of the US Congress
starts in January.
To remove any "misunderstanding" there may be, Mr Mulford said, this "prominent
action" (of separating nuclear facilities) was vital because only then will the Bush
Administration take the legislation to the United States Congress for facilitating the
implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation.
He said, "The understanding was [that] the US first of all will review the separation plan.
We are waiting to see what gameplan India has for separation. If [we] find that the plan is
credible, [we] will then take the legislation to the Congress to make the change [in laws]
before the full plan of separation is implemented [by India.]"
According to the roadmap virtually dictated by Washington, the Manmohan Singh
Government has little over a month to declare its plan for designating its nuclear
facilities as civil or military. This "real, not token" separation will have to be a
"permanent decision," the envoy reminded New Delhi.
He would not say what would constitute a credible plan but admitted this was "not"
negotiated in July during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Washington visit. He
nevertheless asserted that credible it will have to be because "if the US does not
endorse the separation plan, the Congress will not [follow suit.]"
Mr Mulford, who leaves for Washington on Tuesday to meet with Congressmen and
prepare the ground for President George Bush's visit next year, added that major
players in Nuclear Suppliers Group "are positive ... with the exception of China, which is
non-committal." He expected India to vote again on Iran's nuclear programme.
While Mr Mulford's observations are a reiteration of what US State Department officials
recently told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, government sources on Monday
said the matter was "under examination at the highest level" but nuclear facilities will be
separated on a "voluntary" basis.
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