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US lifts sanctions on five Indian nuclear, space facilities
by Smita Prakash

     Washington: The US on Monday lifted sanctions on three Indian space entities and two nuclear stations. The space entities include ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Space Application Centre (SAC), and the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). The two nuclear stations on which sanctions have been lifted are Tarapur nuclear power plant and the Ranapratap Sagar or the Rajasthan Atomic Power project. ISTRAC has telemetry tracking and command ground stations at Bangalore, Lucknow, Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram, Port Blair, Brunei, Biak (Indonesia) and Mauritius. SAC conducts space applications research and development in satellite communication and remote sensing. It also works on design and building communication remote sensing and meteorological satellite payloads and satellite communication earth station equipment. The IISU's achievements include development of inertial systems for ISRO launch vehicles and satellites, solar array drive assemblies and scanning mechanism. IISU is currently engages in development of Inertial Navigational system for PSLV, GSLV, INSAT and IRS satellites.

     After several hours of deliberations and months of negotiations, the American and Indian delegations hammered out a joint statement which was peppered liberally with US commitment to civilian nuclear energy cooperation, promotion of nuclear power and India's energy security. The Joint Statement further said that the US President would seek agreement from the Congress to adjust US laws and policies and the United States would work with its allies to adjust international regimes to enable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with India including but not limited to expeditious consideration of fuel supplies for safeguard nuclear reactors at Tarapur. The reactor is on its last cache of fuel. The Indian Prime Minister conveyed that India would identify and separate 'civilian and military nuclear facilities and programs in a phased manner' and file 'declaration regarding its civilian facilities with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)' This would be done a phased manner whereby its civilian nuclear facilities would be placed voluntarily under IAEA safeguards.

     The Indian foreign secretary sought to clarify that this did not mean that India had opened doors to all its nuclear facilities. India would only assume the "same responsibilities and practices and acquire the same benefits and advantages as other leading countries with advanced nuclear technology such as the United States". No additional onus of proving oneself innocent has been imposed on India, and this is only because of its impeccable track record said the foreign secretary. India will sign and adhere to an Additional Protocol with respect to civilian nuclear facilities and continue India's unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, work with the United States for the conclusion of a multilateral Fissile Material Cut off Treaty. India has also committed to "refrain from transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technologies to states that do not have them and supporting international efforts to limit their spread." India has also assured the US of "ensuring that the necessary steps have been taken to secure nuclear material and technology through comprehensive export control legislation and through harmonization and adherence to Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines." The progress on this would be reviewed when the US President visits India in 2006.

N-deal cements India as a key US ally: Washington Post (Go To Top)

     Washington: In a front page assessment today the Washington Post has said that the US decision to share civilian nuclear technology with India will now " cement India as a key strategic U.S. ally in Asia for the coming decades ". Quoting the U.S. Undersecretary of State, Nicholas Burns, the paper said that the nuclear agreement was " a high water mark of U.S. - India relations since 1947 ". The Post has also reported that with this deal the U.S. will now make available to India sensitive nuclear technology that can be used either in a civilian or a military program. It could also free India to buy the long sought after Arrow Missile System developed by Israel with U.S. technology. According to the Post, the agreement does not call for India to cease production of weapons grade plutonium, which will enable India to expand its nuclear arsenal. While announcing that the deal has catapulted India into a new league, the paper cautioned that " the White House faces two major hurdles to put the deal into effect.One is altering the rules in the Nuclear suppliers group and the other is persuading Congress to change the U.S. Non Proliferation Act, which prevents sales of sensitive nuclear technology to countries that refuse monitoring of nuclear facilities ". The Washington Post also reported that already an influential U.S. Congressman, Edward Markey, Democrat from Massachusetts has announced his intent to introduce legislation to block this deal. Along with Congressional pressure will come pressure from Pakistan. Said Markey " you can be sure that Pakistan will demand equal treatment ".

Sparkling banquet for PM in Washington (Go To Top)

     Washington: President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush hosted a banquet dinner Monday night for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur. Laura Bush looked absolutely stunning in a yellow-orange gown and President Bush in a black tie was a picture of warmth and affection towards his guests. The Prime Minister in a black bandhgala suit and his wife in a black saree were received at the door of the White House by their hosts. The easy camaraderie between the four of them was there for all to see. The Bush's have been perfect hosts radiating charm at every occasion. The Prime Minister who quoted Shakespeare during the day quoted Bernard Shaw and Mark Twain at dinner. In his banquet speech, Singh said, "Shaw once described America and England as two countries divided by one language. Perhaps this once held true for India and America as well. I believe our two countries must strive to arrive at a common lexicon and a shared framework of reference in looking at the rest of the world, for there is truly very much that we have in common". The Prime Minister also made a refernce of the contribution made by the two million strong Indian-American community commenting that it was an "indicator of the vast untapped potentioal of our bilateral relationship". The "us" theme has followed all through the first day of the Prime Minister's three day visit to the US. Suddenly India and US are a team it seems. Not just partners. Singh said that the shared values of democracy, pluralism, diversity and freedom bring the two countries together "India and USA can make a significant contribution to global peace and prosperity". The Prime Minister raised a toast to "the health and happiness of President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush and the friendly people of the United States of America and to the success of all that we are endeavoring to do through this visit to open a new chapter in our relationship". The Prime Minister has had a 12 hour schedule yet he showed no signs of tiredness. Sprightly of step and cheerful in demeanor the Prime Minister and his wife have charmed the first couple of the USA.

Developed nations must help: PM (Go To Top)

     Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday called on developed countries like the United States to take the lead in helping lesser developed nations meet their development needs and strengthen their democratic values. In a 40-minute speech to the Joint session of the U.S.Congress, Dr. Singh said: "Just as developed industrial countries assist those that are less developed to accelerate development, democratic societies with established institutions must help those that want to strengthen democratic values and institution." "In this spirit, President Bush and I agreed yesterday on a global initiative to help build democratic capacities in all societies that seek such assistance. The capacities we have in mind are those related to the electoral, parliamentary, judicial and human rights processes of emerging democracies. Respect for cultural diversity, minority rights and gender equality is an important goal of this initiative. India's aspirations are no different from those who are the developing countries. But we are unique in one respect. There is no other country of a billion people, without tremendous cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, that has tried to modernise its society and transform its economy within a framework of a functioning democracy. To attempt this at our modest level of per capita income is a major challenge. We are determined to succeed in this effort," Dr. Singh said.

US-India set the ball rolling for second Green Revolution (Go To Top)

     Washington: Prime Minister Singh on Tuesday said that President Bush and he would soon be activating a Second Green Revolution on the lines of the successful one launched in the 1960s, that had helped India to become self-sufficient in foodgrains. In a speech to the Joint Session of the U.S.Congress that received repeated applause, Dr. Singh said : "I am very happy to say that President Bush and I have decided to launch a second generation of India-US collaboration in agriculture. The new initiative will focus on basic and strategic reseach for sustainable development of agriculture to meet the challenge of raising productivity in conditions of water stress." "The bulk of our population still depends upon agriculture for a living. The United States was an early partner in this area, helping to establish agricultural universities and research institutions in India in the 1960s. It was an American, Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, supported by a grant from the Rockfeller Foundation, who developed high yielding varieties of wheat in Mexico, which were then adapted to Indian conditions in the agricultural universities you helped establish." " This was the start of the Green Revolution in India that lifted countless millions above poverty. It seeks to take information and know-how directly to the farming community and promote technologies that minimise post-harvest wastage and improve food storage. It will also help Indian farmers to meet the phytosanitary conditions and enable them to participate more fully in global agricultural trade," Dr. Singh said.

Threat of terrorism, a common concern: PM (Go To Top)

    Washington: Describing the scourge of terrorism as a common concern to both India and the United States, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that both New Delhi and Washington had suffered greatly because of this menace, and must join hands to eradicate it. In a speech to the Joint Session of the U.S.Congress, Dr. Singh said not doing anything counter terrorism would leave moost societies vulnerable and exposed, besides losing out on values cherished by civil societies across the spectrum. "Our commitment to democratic values and practices means there are many concerns and perceptions that we share with the United States. The most important common concern is the threat of terrorism. Democracy can only thrive in open and free societies. But open societies like ours are today threatened more than ever before by the rise of terrorism," Dr. Singh said. "The very openness of our societies makes us more vulnerable, and yet we must deal effectively with the threat without losing the openness we so value and cherish. India and the United States have both suffered grievously from terrorism and we must make common cause against it," the Prime Minister added further. "We know that those who resort to terror often clothe it in the garb of real or imaginary grievances. We must categorically affirm that no grievance can justify resort to terror," he added. Acknowledging that "democracies provide legitimate means for expressing dissent and the right to engage in political activity," Dr. Singh, however, said that this did not mean that any country could go "soft on terror." "Terrorism exploits the freedom our open societies provide to destroy our freedoms. The United States and India must work together in all possible forums to counter all forms of terrorism. We cannot be selective in this area. We must fight terrorism wherever it exists, because terrorism anywhere threaten democracy everywhere," he told the august gathering.

Restructure UN Council: Manmohan (Go To Top)

     Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made another pitch for India's inclusion as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, saying that the voice of the world's largest democracy should not go unheard in the international fora. Addressing the Joint Session of the U.S.Congress, Dr. Singh called for immediate reform of the United Nations, and said: "We believe that it is time to recognise the enormous changes that have occurred since the present (UN) structure was established. There must be comprehensive reform of the United Nations to make it more effective and also more representative." "The UN Security Council must be restructured as part of the reform process. In this context, you would agree that the voice of the world's largest democracy surely cannot be left unheard on the Security Council when the United Nations is being restructured," Dr. Singh said further. Speaking on the effect of globalisation, the Prime Minister said that it "has woven a web of inter-connections across the world, and makes it all the more necessary that we evolve a system of global governance that carries credibility and commands legitimacy." "Such a system must be sufficiently participative to be able to generate a global consensus. It must also reflect contemporary reality. The Doha round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations and the reform of the United Nations are two major processes in the international arena where we need to work together to strengthen the system of global governance," he said. "India is committed to strengthening the multilateral trading system and we will work with the US and other partners for a successful outcome of the Doha Round. I am sure that we can find a reasonable and balanced outcome that is mutually beneficial. We will make every effort to do so," the Prime Minister said.

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