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U.S. To India: Shun Iran Or Lose Nuclear Help
Nuclear Deal Used As Leverage To Block Support In U.N.
By Associated Press
01/25/06 -- -- (AP) NEW DELHI A landmark nuclear deal between
India and the United States will "die" in Washington if New
Delhi supports Iran at the upcoming meeting of the U.N. atomic
watchdog agency, the U.S. ambassador said Wednesday.
A week before the International Atomic Energy Agency meets to
discuss Iran's nuclear program, U.S. Ambassador David Mulford
said that if India does not vote to refer Tehran to the U.N.
Security Council, it would be "devastating" to the deal
currently before the U.S. Congress.
"I think the Congress will simply stop considering the matter,"
Mulford told the Press Trust of India news agency.
The deal, seen as a cornerstone of the emerging alliance between
India and the United States, "will die in the Congress," he
said.
The U.S. Embassy confirmed that Mulford was accurately quoted,
and spokesman David Kennedy said: "The Ambassador just wanted to
give his honest opinion on how he thought the U.S. congress
would react to such a scenario."
Mulford's frank comments were the first time a senior U.S.
official has made a direct link between India's stance on the
Iran issue and the nuclear deal.
After Mulford's comments, India reiterated that the two issues
should remain separate.
"We categorically reject any attempt to link (Iran) to the
proposed Indo-U.S. agreement on civil nuclear energy
cooperation, which stands on its own merits," Indian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in a statement.
"The position that India will take on this issue at the IAEA
will be based on India's own independent judgment."
Under the deal, Washington is to share civilian nuclear
technology and supply nuclear fuel to India in return for New
Delhi separating its civilian and military nuclear programs and
allowing international inspections of its atomic facilities.
The separation is necessary because the United States has only
agreed to recognize India as having a civilian nuclear program -
not as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.
The deal was signed in July when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh visited Washington, and marked a major policy shift for
the United States, which imposed sanctions on India in 1998
after it conducted nuclear tests. The restrictions have been
lifted.
IAEA referral of Iran to the Security Council could lead to
economic and political sanctions against Tehran, which the
United States and European powers fear could use its nuclear
program to develop weapons. Tehran insists its program is for
generating electricity.
European countries believe they have enough votes at the IAEA,
which will hold an emergency board session on Feb. 2, to haul
Iran before the Security Council. But they are seeking support
from Russia, China and key developing nations, such as India.
New Delhi voted in September with the U.S. and European powers
on an earlier IAEA resolution that could have led to Iran's
referral to the council.
But the Indian government faced fierce domestic criticism over
the move from its left-wing political allies, who accused it of
selling out a longtime ally to curry favor with Washington. New
Delhi has, in recent weeks, appeared hesitant to repeat the
vote, instead urging negotiations with Tehran.
India, which has few domestic sources of fuel, also plans to
build a 1,750-mile gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan, a
project that has raised concerns in Washington.
"We have made it known to (India) that we would very much like
India's support because India has arrived on the world stage and
is a very important player in the world," Mulford said.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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