India plans Future Nuke Tests
Pastor Dale Morgan
Aug 23, 12:04 PM EDT
*India plans Future Nuke Tests*
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India's prime minister said Wednesday the country
would retain its right to carry out future nuclear tests despite a
civilian nuclear deal with the United States, a news report said.
"There is no scope for capping of our strategic (nuclear) program. It
will be decided by the people, government and Parliament of the country
and not by any outside power," Press Trust of India quoted Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh as saying in a statement in Parliament.
Singh and President Bush signed an agreement in July 2005 that would
allow U.S. agencies and companies to sell India nuclear fuel and
technology. In return, India would have to strengthen nuclear
safeguards, allow international inspections of its civilian facilities,
and separate its civilian and military nuclear programs.
On Wednesday, Singh said also said India would not give any commitment
that goes beyond a unilateral moratorium on future nuclear tests.
If required by the circumstances, he said, India would have the
sovereign right to take a decision on atomic tests in its national
interest, PTI reported.
He also said India didn't favor a bilateral comprehensive test ban
treaty with the United States. "This has been made unambiguously clear
(to the U.S.)," PTI quoted him as saying.
After its controversial 1998 nuclear tests, India announced a unilateral
moratorium on further tests and said it would use nuclear weapons only
if attacked.
Singh's comments in Parliament came in response to criticism by Hindu
nationalist opposition and leftist allies who say the government is
succumbing to U.S. pressures that allegedly aim to cap India's
independent nuclear program.
The opposition and communist allies sought assurances from Singh that
India's nuclear program would not be curbed by what they describe as the
shifting of goal posts by U.S. lawmakers.
The House of Representatives approved the deal last month but added
stringent new clauses, including requiring annual certification on the
use of the technology and fuel for peaceful purposes.
The Senate is expected to vote next month on the civilian nuclear plan.
The vote will be followed by several other legislative and diplomatic
steps before the treaty can be enforced.