Mulford tells India to mind its language

NUCLEAR DEAL: DRUMMING UP SUPPORT FOR THE NSG WAIVER

The US today asked India not to talk about “unconditional” waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as the demand, just ahead of the meeting of the 45-nation grouping, could be considered “provocative”.

In a telephonic press conference from the US, US Ambassador to India David Mulford said the use of the term “unconditional” was “over-simplification” of the issues involved. He noted that the US was seeking “clean exemption” from the NSG and was not using the word “unconditional” as there were “many moving parts” in the process, including the Separation Plan, the 123 Agreement and the India-IAEA Safeguards Agreement.

“It is somewhat a provocative word to be used,” Mulford said, specifying that it was his “personal view”.

“We are hoping for, I use the word, clean exemption. We hope the NSG will recognise and accept the moving pieces, the (123) agreement, change of (US) law and so on, and gives approval to this,” he said.

The American government has launched a diplomatic offensive across the 45 countries that are members of the NSG. “Everyone, right from the president (of the USA) down to the secretary of state and the officials are working hard on the diplomatic offensive,’’ he said.

Mulford said US and Indian officials were finalising the draft of the waiver which would be presented to the NSG on August 21.

While he expected the draft to be ready “in a day or so,” Mulford made it clear that “working on a language (of the draft) that would address the concerns of most of the countries and also the Indians was proving to be a challenge.’’