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Nations discuss ending nuclear trade ban on India

Nations that export nuclear equipment and technology edged closer to a compromise on Thursday on a contentious US plan to sell peaceful atomic technology to India despite its longtime refusal to sign global nonproliferation accords.

The talks, brokered by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), were scheduled to resume yesterday. Washington was scrambling to salvage a deal that opponents fear will undermine efforts to discourage the production of weapons of mass destruction.

India has tested its atomic weapons, but has refused to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty or other international agreements.

As a result, nuclear trade with New Delhi has been outlawed since 1974.

“We have before us an historical opportunity to end more than three decades of India’s isolation from nuclear regimes,” said William Burns, US undersecretary of state for political affairs.

Burns, who contends a waiver of the trade restrictions would place India’s nuclear program under closer scrutiny, said that he saw “steady progress” in the latest negotiations.

“The United States believes firmly that the step we’re considering for India will strengthen nonproliferation,” Burns said.

Later, as Thursday’s closed-door session ended, a Western delegate who declined to be identified said: “We are really close to reaching a consensus.”

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the negotiations.

Opponents, which have included several small countries such as Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, have expressed serious misgivings about engaging in nuclear trade with New Delhi.

Daryl Kimball, head of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, denounced the proposal as “unsound and irresponsible” and urged the 45-nation group, which governs the legal trade in nuclear materials, to reject it.

An initial round of talks on the plan last month ended in deadlock after more than a dozen opposing countries argued against reversing more than three decades of US policy outlawing the sale of nuclear material to India for civilian use.

“To their credit, many NSG states essentially said ‘no thanks’ and proposed more than 50 amendments and modifications to the US proposal,” Kimball said, adding: “It is extraordinarily important for these states to stand their ground.”
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