Left Flank

Washington bullies the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) into an agreement that demolishes the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...

John Rood, acting U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said India's gesture had added «positive momentum» to efforts to agree an NSG waiver.

But some in the exclusive nuclear club felt the commitment was not sufficiently binding on New Delhi.

Six NSG nations had been demanding a clause stipulating an automatic cessation of the waiver if India tested another bomb.

After India's statement, the holdout group splintered as Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland indicated they could accept more limited language, diplomats said.

But Ireland, Austria and New Zealand rejected amended language presented to them individually by U.S. officials on Friday evening as inadequate, several diplomats told Reuters.

They said the meeting broke down when China walked out in support of Ireland, Austria and New Zealand.

«The Americans have bullied them, including with high-level phone calls to their capitals, but they held firm because the U.S. has showed no flexibility on testing,» said one diplomat.

«The (revised text as it stands) gives no clear consequences for India if it tests, only a special meeting if that happens and that does not commit the NSG to take action,» said another.

Decisions by the nuclear export cartel must be unanimous.

...and how does New Delhi consider its commitment?

Asked about the right to conduct nuclear tests, he said, «in terms of consequences, of course, when we decide to do that, we need to factor in possible consequences.»

The top nuclear scientist indicated that there was 'adequate protection' for India's strategic programme in the civil nuclear deal with the US.

«I also knew that this (US State Department letter to the Congress) has been asked to be kept classified. But I did not know that this will be released at this juncture,» Kakodkar said.

«The most important thing is that whatever programme we have started. We should be able to continue operation of these reactors and adequate protection for that purpose has been built into the 123 Agreement,» he said.

Are the Bush administration and New Delhi that dumb?

And, there's a decent backgrounder by Vijay Prashad on the domestic Indian politics of the nukes deal at Counterpunch.

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