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US, India discuss nuclear deal again
Published on Mon, Jun 12, 2006 at 12:14, Updated on Mon, Jun 12, 2006 at 16:52 in 
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New Delhi: India and US began talks on the bilateral civil nuclear agreement on Monday in New Delhi. Sources say US won't insist on India formalising its nuclear test ban.
A crucial point here is an American commitment to guarantee supplies of imported nuclear fuel for the 14 reactors that come under safeguards.
The minus point is that this imported fuel would have to be sent back in case India does test a nuclear device.
US will help India to negotiate a fuel supply agreement with the IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
There is no restriction on how much fuel India can import for its reactors. The Nuclear Fuel Complex will have to separate its civilian and military divisions to ensure no imported material goes into India's nuclear weapons programme.
This will be first time ever that any country not recognised as a nuclear weapons state will be allowed permanent fuel supply.
Meanwhile, the Council on Foreign Relations has urged the US Congress to ratify the civilian nuclear deal signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush between India and the US.
The New York-based think tank in a report, titled ''US-India Nuclear Cooperation: A Strategy for Moving Forward,'' said a two-stage approach to the issue is needed: endorse the basic framework, but delay final approval until it is assured nonproliferation issues are met.
The report has been prepared by Michael A Levi and Charles D Ferguson-both fellows at the council in science and technology.
''Patience and a few simple fixes would address major proliferation concerns while ultimately strengthening the strategic partnership,'' the report said.
Both explain in the report that the deal, which allows nuclear cooperation for the first time in more than three decades, will ensure a stronger bilateral partnership.
The American foreign policy goal of bolstering democracy will sound hollow, if it does not ensure deeper relationship with the world's largest democracy.
With Agency inputs
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