Atomic Energy Agency Chief Visits India
Director
General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Mohamed
El Baradei, has commenced a long scheduled trip to India.
India's Department of Atomic Energy said he would be arriving on
Monday night and that his official programmes begin on Tuesday.
El Baradei is ostensibly on a technical visit to speak at an
energy conference, visit a nuclear research facility in Mumbai
and meet Indian nuclear officials.
The trip comes just as India faces an informal end of October
deadline to begin securing clearances from the agency and others
to clinch a nuclear energy deal, opposed by its allies who say
the deal would enslave New Delhi to U.S. policy.
It has also become a political flashpoint as the nuclear energy
deal with the United States threatens to spark snap elections.
The
Pact
The deal, seen as a milestone in India-U.S. relations, would
allow India to import U.S. nuclear fuel and reactors, despite
having tested nuclear weapons and not signed the
Non-Proliferation Treaty.
A week before the atomic energy agency boss’ visit, U.S.
lawmakers introduced a non-binding resolution in the House of
Representatives questioning if the deal complied with U.S. law.
In India, the communists have warned the government against
negotiating with the agency to place India's civilian nuclear
reactors under U.N. safeguards, one of the first steps towards
making the deal operational.
The IAEA View
A Vienna diplomat close to the IAEA says "There is no
expectations that the India-US agreement will be front and
centre of his visit there…"It just depends on India, to make the
essential approach about drafting a safeguards agreement.”
“There is little doubt the Indian government has decided to go
ahead with the deal and couldn't care less what the left has to
say," R.R. Subramanian, an independent nuclear expert, said.
After negotiating with the IAEA, India must get clearance from
the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group that control global
civilian nuclear commerce. Then the deal goes back to the U.S.
Congress for a final approval.
REU/MIA
