Tuesday July 8, 2008 MYT 8:33:15 AM
Agency could approve nuclear rules for India within weeks, say diplomats
VIENNA, Austria (AP): The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35 board nations could approve nuclear rules for India within weeks, diplomats said, in an important step for attempts by New Delhi and Washington to breathe life into their landmark nuclear deal.
Without so-called IAEA safeguards, India cannot hope to gain the business of countries exporting nuclear technology which are grouped in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The NSG group is expected to meet shortly after any board approval of rules for IAEA inspections of India's nonmilitary facilities, said one of five diplomats discussing the issue with The Associated Press on Monday.
Three of the five _ all of them with links to the IAEA _ said the board could meet on the issue as early as July 28, with the agency informally considering that date.
They demanded anonymity because their information was confidential.
But one of the diplomats said such an early date would be "problematic'' because normally the board meets on safeguards agreements only 45 days after they have been submitted for circulation among board member nations _ something India has yet to do.
While this rule may be relaxed in the case of India, due to support of the agreement from agency head Mohamed ElBaradei and pressure from the U.S. and India, early August was more likely for any early consideration, he said.
Asked whether a date had been formally set, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said: "That would be premature.''
The move to bring India into the nuclear mainstream, even though it developed nuclear weapons in secret, gives potential ammunition to Iran.
Iran is under U.N. sanctions because of its nuclear ambitions even though it says it has no plans to make atomic arms.
The main fear is Iran's growing uranium enrichment program, which can be used to produce both nuclear fuel and the fissile core of atomic warheads.
Tehran says it is interested only in enrichment's peaceful use, but its past secretiveness has led to growing concern that it will "break out'' once its enrichment program is large enough and use the technology to produce weapons-grade uranium.
Up to a few days ago, it appeared that protracted Indian political turmoil over the civilian nuclear technology deal would mean that the IAEA board would not have a chance to meet on the India safeguards agreement until its next regularly scheduled gathering in September.
But that could have seriously delayed _ if not doomed _ the deal, a foreign policy cornerstone both for U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The US-India deal foresees the U.S. sharing its civilian nuclear know-how with India.
Both countries are eager to wrap up loose ends under Bush's tenure, including crucial approval by U.S. Congress. Waiting until September, first to seek backing from the IAEA board and then from the NSG nations, would have likely meant no congressional action until after Bush's successor takes office.
The deal is meant to make India eligible for imports of nuclear fuel and civilian nuclear technology _ a right usually reserved for signatories of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty _ despite its refusal to sign the NPT. India and Pakistan, which also developed nuclear weapons in secret, remains outside the treaty.
Israel too is believed to share that status, although it has not declared itself to be a nuclear weapons state.
Singh now appears to be ready to risk the breakup of his government coalition over the deal, reflecting the importance he attaches to it.
His Communist coalition partners have for months threatened to bolt the coalition if the agreement is finalized because they argue it gives Washington too much sway over New Delhi's nuclear decisions.
That has forced Singh's United Progressive Alliance to court other potential allies to ensure parliamentary support in case of a no-confidence vote over the issue.
The Indian leader was expected to discuss strategies over the nuclear agreement with Bush this week at the Japan summit of the Group of Eight economic powers.
He also was likely to be lobbying Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders of key NSG countries at the summit.
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